Ruef was sidelined last week after a heavy clash of heads early in the game against Canberra and did not play against the Centre of Excellence on Sunday as a precaution.

"I was going for a loose ball about two minutes into the game and one of their girls went for it too and we both bumped heads," Ruef said.

"It was pretty hard and I went down and it swelled up really quickly and was ugly.

"It was precautionary that I sat out the rest of the game and on Sunday too."

Ruef said the injury had healed up apart from a black eye and she had received the medical all-clear to play against Brisbane.

"I am excited about getting back on court this weekend and I wished I could have helped them out last weekend but I was better not to so I am champing at the bit to get back out there," she said.

Ruef said she thought her form had been OK in her first two games for the Tornadoes but felt she could play better as could the team.

"We had a good win against Sandringham and then a tough loss to Geelong and then the road trip but in the second game last weekend we saw a lot of promise in our team which bounced back after a bad loss to Canberra.

"I think we can play better but we are improving and we are still getting used to each other."

She said Brisbane would be a tough opposition with a lot of veteran players.

"They will be smart and tough to guard but I think it will be an interesting match-up.

"If we play well and with the same toughness and focus we had in our second game last weekend I think we will do really well against them."