New Manly coach Geoff Toovey will pick the bulk of his premiership-winning squad for Friday’s NRL trial with the Sharks in Cronulla.
Toovey, who will be coaching the side for the first time following the departure of former coach Des Hasler to Canterbury, will name his squad on Tuesday and says all but a few players will get a run to blow the cobwebs out.
That includes the likes of Australian international Daly Cherry-Evans, New Zealand tyro Kieran Foran, brilliant fullback Brett Stewart and off-season recruit Ben Farrar.
“The majority of the grand final squad won’t be playing very much football, but they’ll probably get 20 minutes,” Toovey told AAP on Monday.
“It’s very much a hit-out for us and about trying to get our timing right on a few things.”
It is the only match the Sea Eagles will play before they take on English champions Leeds in three weeks in the World Club Challenge, and Toovey is wary of letting his players go in underdone.
“We will definitely need to maintain some fitness and some game fitness rolling into two weeks time when we face Leeds for the World Club Challenge,” Toovey said.
Four Sea Eagles not expected to face the Sharks are co-captain Jason King (pectoral injury), winger David Williams (neck) and forward duo Tony Williams (quad) and Joe Galuvao (Achilles).
All four will be given more time to reach full fitness but remain a chance to travel to England to face the Rhinos.
“It’s very difficult because obviously you’ve got to take a small squad over,” Toovey said.
“We’d like to think that squad will be fit to play because it’s hard to travel that far and go over there and not have any backups.”