Manly coach Geoff Toovey is expected to make the biggest selection gamble of the season by picking Daniel Harrison for his first NRL appearance this year.
Harrison, 26, rejoined the Sea Eagles midway through the year after an unsuccessful one-year stint at the Eels but has been relegated to NSW Cup. The workaholic back-rower is on the verge of a dramatic NRL recall as Toovey looks to shore up his side's flimsy defence. Toovey will finalise his side on Saturday as he looks to hand Harrison his first NRL start since round 26 last year.
Harrison won't even play top flight rugby league next year having signed a two-year deal to join the relegated London Broncos in the second-tier English competition. He played 19 games for Manly in 2011-12 before adding seven appearances for the Eels last year. Manly's back-row depth has been tested with Jamie Buhrer, Anthony Watmough and Glenn Stewart sidelined. Hooker Matt Ballin was rated as a "long shot" to return by Toovey while Jayden Hodges has overcome a neck injury to play.
Toovey is also set to tinker with his flank with winger Jorge Taufua set to be relegated to the interchange bench after a horrid period under the high ball thanks largely to Adam Reynolds last week. Cheyse Blair or Clint Gutherson are set to start on the wing. "Jorge had a little bit of an off week last week," Toovey said. "We finished equal first and Jorge has been there all year. We've worked hard in the last couple of weeks around that. I'm sure he'll be OK. He'll be there somewhere."
Fellow winger Peta Hiku backed Taufua to return to the form which saw him on the cusp of NSW Origin selection earlier this year. "It's not easy to be under the high ball," Hiku said. "Me and him go back after training every day and we go do our extras under the high ball. It's a tough part of the game. Reynolds' kicking game - I was under a few of them and it's not a good thing with the bomb of his. Hopefully he bounces back."
Hiku is one Manly player who is particularly grateful of Hodges' inclusion after he was forced to spend some time at dummy half in last week's loss to the Rabbitohs. Hiku shared the role with Justin Horo when Hodges was replaced at half-time.
"I hadn't played hooker before," Hiku said. "It was probably the worst 15 minutes of footy I've played, playing in the middle. Defending against a forward pack like Souths who have such a strong pack. Hopefully it doesn't happen any time soon. When the message came out, I had never trained there. I thought I was going to play there in attack and go back to the wing for defence. I tried to sneak off to the wing but I was told that I was D-ing up in the middle as well.
"I was real shocked. I haven't trained in the middle all year. So to be playing there in the last 15 was a big effort I suppose."
Manly are preparing for Canterbury to replicate South Sydney's power game by attacking the Sea Eagles' fragile forward pack. Bulldogs big men including James Graham, Aiden Tolman and Tony Williams are key. Hiku said his teammates mention Bulldogs coach Des Hasler and former Manly player Williams sporadically.
"When they are talking about it, I just leave the conversation because I don't know too much about them," Hiku said. "It just adds a little bit of spice to the game. They have a strong forward pack. [Our focus this week has been] defence and completion. We've been lacking [in those areas in] the past couple of months. The coaching staff have been into us about that. Hopefully we can get that sorted."
