Reds winger Damian Smith has experienced something unfamiliar to him after more than 100 games for Queensland - he's been dropped.

Smith played his 116th game for the Reds in last weekend's loss to the Canterbury Crusaders, but now finds himself on the outer as the Reds look to save their Super 12 campaign against the Brumbies at Ballymore on Friday.

Speedster Rick Nalatu comes into the side at Smith's expense, while one-time Wallaby flyhalf Nathan Spooner replaces the injured Elton Flatley. Spooner will be making his first Super 12 start in two years after overcoming a groin injury.

Flatley is expected to miss at least two weeks of action due to the knee injury sustained against the Crusaders.

Captain John Eales is again unavailable due to an Achilles injury.

"The most frustrating thing is it's not as if we're getting belted by 20 or 30 points each week, we probably should have won two or three of those games but that wasn't to be," Flatley told AAP. "We've just got to regroup and get that killer instinct.

"I think just mentally sometimes we're relaxing a bit which you can't do in Super 12. "If we lose this weekend it will put a lot of pressure on us going over to Africa."

Queensland coach Mark McBain said Nalatu's inclusion would improve the finishing.

"We're making breaks but not converting them into tries," McBain said. "Ricky had an excellent pre-season, has continued to train well and deserves a chance."

Queensland: Nick Stiles, Michael Foley, Fletcher Dyson, Mark Connors, Nathan Sharpe, Matt Cockbain, David Croft, Toutai Kefu, Jacob Rauluni, Nathan Spooner, Ricky Nalatu, Steve Kefu, Daniel Herbert (c), Ben Tune, Chris Latham. Reserves: Ben Wakely, Shane Drahm, Nathan Williams, Scott Fava, John Roe, Glenn Panoho, Sean Hardman.