Deb Frecklington's campaign certainly needed some heavy-duty artillery after a less-than-stellar first week.

And she got it in the form of Scott Morrison who hopped in one of the new armoured vehicles being built in Queensland at the first opportunity to aptly demonstrate the point that he's here to throw bombs on Frecklington's behalf. The presence of the popular prime minister in Queensland in the week before voters can start shuffling into ballot boxes certainly won't harm Frecklington's prospects.

The LNP leader's problem has never been that she's disliked, it's been that she's unknown.

So bumping elbows with the bloke who generates more news in Australia than anyone else is a fillip for Frecklington.

That's why Deputy Premier Steven Miles has taken to chucking his own grenades back in Morrison's direction, like accusing him of abandoning his duties during the pandemic.

It worked to draw the Prime Minister into a tit-for-tat brawl but LNP strategists didn't seem to mind the Miles versus Morrison contest one bit, with one saying yesterday they'd be "happy to see that every single day".

Frecklington's campaign has seemed to lack energy and many assume because she trails Palaszczuk woefully in the popularity stakes that there's no path for her to the premiership.

But there are numerous examples of little-known leaders winning elections. In recent years, there's been none better than South Australian Premier Steven Marshall, who trailed Labor's Jay Weatherill and SA Best's Nick Xenophon as preferred premier in key seats less than a month before his victory.

However, right now Frecklington's biggest problem is that's she getting defined by Labor through its relentless negative campaign, as well as her own stumbles, and this could raise doubt among undecided voters.

That's why Morrison's intervention is so important because it gives voters a rare opportunity to see Frecklington mixing it with a well-liked leader. The question will be whether Morrison's missiles are enough.

Originally published as Frecklington desperately needs ScoMo to throw bombs on her behalf