Towering Reds lock Van Humphries has hit back at critics of his side's fitness as Queensland prepares for a stern early season test against Wellington on Friday.

The Reds started the year with a well-deserved 22-16 win over the Otago Highlanders on Friday night but coach Phil Mooney was left to fend off more questions about a perceived lack of conditioning among his troops.

In a blistering opening 20 minutes, the Reds put on two tries but both sides seemed to fade as the match ground on in humid conditions at Suncorp Stadium.

Humphries, with his 193cm and 114kg frame, is part of a super-sized Reds pack that also boasts James Horwill (200cm, 117kg), Hugh McMeniman (200cm, 114kg) and bullocking prop Rodney Blake (190cm, 136kg).

Humphries said the Experimental Law Variations (ELVs) in place this season tested the mobility of the lumbering tight forwards and fans would see a rapid improvement after rounds of battle-hardened competition.

But Humphries was adamant his team's fitness wasn't an issue, saying every side in the competition would struggle to come to grips with the speed of the game under the ELVs, which are putting more miles on the legs of forwards than ever before.

He pointed at Blake - who played the full 80 minutes - as an example of gruelling off-season work on the training paddock paying handsome dividends on the field.

"We're quite a big forward pack this year so the new rules took their toll on us at the end of each half," Humphries said.

"I don't think it's a fitness issue. I thought it was after the game, but after watching every other game over the weekend I think every Super 14 side and every larger forward pack did really struggle with the new laws.

"You don't get that break when you kick out from the 22. You have to constantly chase up, chase back and for a tight five and even a tight eight, it is very taxing on your legs.

"I think for people to say that it's a fitness issue after the work these guys put in over the off-season, it's a short jab. They obviously weren't out here watching us train. For a 135-140kg guy to be playing 80 minutes under these new laws, it's a big effort."

The Reds will have a full contingent to choose from when thye fly out to meet the Hurricanes on Friday night, a luxury rarely seen last season in the injury-plagued reign of Eddie Jones.

Wellington lost its opening match against the Waratahs 20-3, turning over too much ball and going tryless as NSW strangled their dangermen out wide with multiple tacklers.

Mooney payed close attention to the 'Tahs' tactics and hasn't ruled out a similar approach to curtail the potency of Hurricane weapons like All Blacks back Ma'a Nonu.

"They clearly had a second defender going in at the ball to prevent the offload and that's a strategy lots of teams use. We'll certainly use that on occasions," Mooney said.

The Hurricanes were outmuscled in the forwards by the Rocky Elsom-lead Waratahs and Mooney will ask his pack to repeat the feat or risk the game turning into "15-man sevens".

"The 'Tahs controlled the tempo of the game very well and against a side like Wellington, we don't want to get into a situation where it becomes 15-man sevens," Mooney said.

"They're big, physical guys. They've got damaging ball runners and clearly the offload has come into the game, so they can really hurt you.

"For us, we want to be controlling the tempo of the game. When we get the opportunity to play high-tempo footy we'll do it, but we can't do it for 80 minutes."

The Reds were expected to beat the Highlanders but the Hurricanes will present a much more difficult assignment in a wet and windy Wellington.

The North Islanders were pre-season fancies for a top-four spot and will be desperate to rebound after their dismal performance in Sydney.

Mooney is relishing the challenge and wants his side to feed off the confidence of their early success.

"We're a far better side than we showed on the weekend. We're really excited about going to Wellington. It's a great stadium to play at," he said.

"We're playing against a side choc-a-block with All Blacks so we really want to test ourselves against a good side and that's clearly what they are."