KEY midfielder Luke Brattan has emerged as a shock candidate to plug a gap in Brisbane’s depleted backline when the Roar host A-League cellar dwellers Western Sydney Wanderers at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night.

Of the eight Roar players unavailable because of injury or national team commitments, four of them – Luke DeVere, Jade North, James Donachie and Corey Brown – are defenders.

It ensures defensive trio Jerome Polenz, Shane Stefanutto and Jack Hingert will all start tonight.

Who joins them to complete Brisbane’s back four is the Roar’s biggest selection headache.

Steve Lustica and Lachlan Jackson are also contenders to play at the back, but Brattan – the Roar’s most consistent midfielder since 2013 – is a chance to occupy a centre-back role.

Brisbane’s four other absentees tonight are Matt McKay (Socceroos duty), Thomas Broich (ankle), Michael Theo (groin) and Henrique, who is at long odds to play again this season because of knee surgery this week.

In better news for the Roar, Jean Carlos Solorzano will return from a hamstring injury, but the Costa Rican striker is likely to start from the bench, with Serbian international Andrija Kaluderovic preferred in attack.

Kaluderovic, who scored his first A-League goal from open play in Brisbane’s 2-1 weekend loss to Wellington Phoenix, said the depleted Roar wouldn’t seek excuses if they come up short tonight.

Five points outside the top six, the Roar are desperate to make the most of their two games in hand on sixth-placed Melbourne City.

“Yes, we miss many players ... but we will give our maximum to win (tonight),” Kaluderovic said.

“We have a big chance. Everything is up to us.”

The Suncorp Stadium playing surface has recovered from the weekend deluge of rain that brought a premature ending to the Roar-Wellington clash.

The Phoenix were awarded the three points as they were leading when referee Alan Milliner ended the contest in the 73rd minute.

“I’m sure we (could have made) something better for us in the last 20 minutes,” Kaluderovic said in lamenting the early end to the match.

The Wanderers are also depleted as they continue to struggle juggling their A-League and AFC Champions League commitments.

“We’ve been playing three games a week since the season began and now that’s all caught up with us,” Wanderers coach Tony Popovic said.

“They’ve got a difficult period now in terms of all the games that they’re playing. They’re feeling now what we have felt all year … it’s not easy.”

Originally published as Roar’s new hat for Bratt at back