Irrespective of the outcome of the Broncos game, the Knights will end the premiership rounds in seventh position.

But while a number of other finals-bound clubs have made wholesale changes and opted to rest several of their biggest names, O'Brien has decided to roll the dice and will play the likes of Mitchell Pearce, Kalyn Ponga, Bradman Best and David Klemmer at Suncorp Stadium.

Instead, he will rest four of his players - hooker Jayden Brailey, who has a slight injury, forwards Jacob Saifiti and Mitch Barnett and winger Hymel Hunt.

Newcastle's approach is in stark contrast to Melbourne Storm, who will go in with seven regular starters missing for their clash against Cronulla, even though a defeat will almost certainly hand the minor premiership to Penrith.

The Panthers [2nd] take on 5th-placed Parramatta and are at unbackable odds to win with Eels coach Brad Arthur taking a machete to his squad and naming only three regulars in the starting side.

South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett has been even more savage with the 3rd-placed Rabbitohs set to take on St George Illawarra minus 10 of their biggest names due to suspensions and players being rested.

While admitting he can see the merit in wrapping matchwinners like Pearce and Ponga in cotton wool to keep them injury-free and fresh for the finals, O'Brien doesn't believe his side's attack is fluent enough to give him that luxury.

"We want to give ourselves the best possible chance of going deep into the finals - we won't be there to make up the numbers," O'Brien told the Newcastle Herald.

"Our defensive mindset has really developed and has been a focal point. But our attack is where we have the biggest improvement left in us and what we are working to improve. It's what we need to get firing if we want to ask some serious questions come the finals."

O'Brien firmly believes having the majority of his spine sitting in the grandstand for the Broncos game is not going to help their attack.

"I just think the more time our playmakers are working on their combinations together, the better off we'll be," he said.

"They have been working hard on the training paddock, in video sessions but under real pressure in a game scenario, that's where we'll benefit the most. And like I said after our win over the Titans, Junior [Pearce] and KP [Ponga] haven't played a whole lot of footy this season and they haven't played a lot of games with Cliff [Jake Clifford]. The more they play together the better."

O'Brien understands the injury risk is there but maintains the benefits out-weigh the negatives.

"I just don't think we can have that mentality with injuries," he said. "We also want to be hanging onto the momentum we have built up over the past month and a half and take some real confidence into the finals. We'll need a good performance against the Broncos to achieve that."

Highlighting the changes, Klemmer returns from a week's suspension for Saifiti in the frontrow with Brodie Jones set to start the game on Barnett's left edge.

Like he did a few week's back, Chris Randall will deputise at hooker for Brailey while Starford To'a will play his first NRL game in almost three months as Hunt's replacement on the right wing.

The new faces on the bench are Phoenix Crossland and Jack Johns with Crossland to handle the utility role and potentially spend some time at lock and dummy half.

To'a was very impressive in an interclub lower grade scrummage on the Sunshine Coast on Sunday with O'Brien saying he deserves his chance.

"I have no fears at all throwing Star in there with Hymel left out," he said. "He did really well in the scrummage the other day and is looking forward to it."

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