Queensland remain unhappy at the sentence but have ruled out appealing halfback Will Genia's three-match Super 14 suspension.

The Reds on Wednesday opted against lodging an appeal after Genia was rubbed out for four weeks, including a bye, for his dangerous tackle on Sharks flanker Keegan Daniel.

The lifting tackle didn't look too much different to George Gregan's spearing effort on Richard Kahui in 2006 which resulted in a one-week ban.

Coach Phil Mooney started the day saying Queensland "probably will" look for a judicial review but the Reds took further legal advice and decided to cop the penalty on the chin.

"We've considered it pretty strongly but the latest information we've received indicates that an appeal might not be the best thing to do," said Reds high-performance manager Ben Whitaker.

The in-form Genia's unavailability until round 10 against the Lions means third-stringer Brendan McKibbin will be sized up for his Super 14 debut against the Chiefs on March 28.

The Reds are hoping fellow halfback Ben Lucas makes a speedy recovery from a rib cartilage injury but he appears to be racing against time.

Stand-in skipper Berrick Barnes, who has been speculated as a potential Wallabies halfback, is likely to be the back-up to McKibbin if Lucas is also ruled out.

Mooney prefers to keep Barnes at inside centre, which the 13-Test playmaker is more than pleased to hear.

Barnes backed McKibbin, who enjoyed a 2008 stint with London club Saracens, to make a good fist of a likely big first-up challenge against All black Brendon Leonard.

"We'll bring McKibbin in and he's experienced," said Barnes. "That stint at Saracens over there really helped him.

"He's grown a lot in confidence and I have every faith in him he'll be able to do the job for us.

"It is going to be a tough ask but we've got blokes around him working for him as well and he doesn't lack toughness, he's an ex-flanker so I've got no qualms there."

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