Queensland Bulls have sounded out the talented St George fast bowler to join the squad immediately.

Copeland, 23, was courted by the Bulls and interstate rivals, Tasmania in the off-season, but decided to stick with two-time defending premiers St George.

Queensland bowling stocks have taken a battering with the side struggling to replace Australian trio of Ashley Noffke (Western Australia), Shane Watson (NSW) and Andrew Symonds.

Talented Queensland all-rounder James Hopes has cemented himself in the Australian One-Day side and state team-mates and former Australian players, Ben Laughlin and Ryan Harris, are among the Bulls casualty ward.

"There is an opportunity there if I want to take it,'' Copeland said.

"The reason I didn't move at the start of the season was that I wanted to improve my batting and get myself into the NSW squad as an all-rounder and a more complete cricketer.

"I feel that I'm ready as a bowler but I want to be in the all-rounders mould.''

Copeland had a superb 2008-09 first grade season, taking 56 wickets from 17 matches at an average of 15.40.

He is the competition's leading wicket taker with 21 scalps in just five matches, including a six-wicket haul for St George against Hawkesbury on Saturday.

"At this stage I've got my heart set on staying in Sydney,'' Copeland said. "It's a good offer but I'm also committed to St George and I'm not the type of guy that wants to jump ship.

"I'm not opposed to working hard. At the same time you've got to look at it from a career perspective. I don't want to be sitting around in the future saying 'whatif'.''

If the challenge of securing a NSW spot ahead of Australian bowlers Watson, Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Doug Bollinger and Nathan Bracken along with St George team-mates Moises Henriques and Josh Hazlewood is not hard enough, Copeland at 23, is now considered an over-age player for the newly established under-23 Futures League competition, which acts as a feeder into the state side.

Queensland are hoping Copeland will make a decision before Christmas.