By PETER JESSUP
The Manly Sea Eagles will bring a depleted on-field line-up to play the Warriors at Ericsson Stadium on Saturday night - but come with a heavyweight management team making no secret of its intentions to poach players from the Auckland team's patch.
Former coach Graham Lowe meets incoming coach Des Hasler, leagues club deputy chairman Peter Peters and chief executive Ian Thomson before Saturday's game, where he will be offered a job as talent scout.
"We have a lot of respect for Lowie over here," said Peters. "We want to revise our Kiwi connection and his knowledge of how to handle your footballers will be invaluable.
"If it's a warning the Warriors want, they've got one. We've had a long association with New Zealand players, Darrell Williams, Matthew Ridge. Awen Guttenbeil and Matty Rua were two that got away from us after going through the Manly system.
"The Warriors can't sign everyone over there. We'll be looking for talent and giving your players another pathway into the NRL."
The Manly club will host a Maori rugby league tournament on Brookvale Oval in September.
"We want to be a force again and we want to do it quickly," Peters said of the 56-year-old club which won four premiership titles in the 70s, with Williams at fullback in 1987 and Ridge there in 1996.
"We have a strong supporter base. We need more money. Then we're going to revolutionise what's going on in clubs in Australia."
Hasler, 42, assistant coach, head trainer and former phys-ed teacher at St Pius College, is all but confirmed as replacement for Peter Sharp, who has said he is leaving.
Hasler will be calling the shots from now on. Peters said the 255-game player had been offered the contract but wanted to finalise assistant coaching positions before signing on. But it's Hasler saying who the club should buy.
He took a swipe at Daniel Anderson.
"We've got the fittest coach in the league, he still trains with the players and wouldn't ask them to do anything he can't. Not a textbook coach like yours."
The Manly Leagues Club has agreed to fund the football club following Paul Vautin's departure as chairman and Peters said they were looking at exciting prospects for next year. The Warriors' off-contract international Logan Swann is among them, though Peters was cagey about the degree of the club's interest.
Fullback Brendon Reeves and goal-kicking five-eighth Ben Walker were to be named in the team subject to fitness test.
Reeves has a quadriceps injury that forced his withdrawal last weekend but replacement Ben Walker, an 18-year-old Manly junior, broke his shoulder on debut and needs a reconstruction, so Reeves will play if close.
Walker is still suffering headaches after being hit by the knee of a Sharks' tackler three weekends ago and is in serious doubt.
Blockbusting wing John Hopoate is gone for the season after fracturing an ankle against the Eels.
The Warriors will start with Thomas Leuluai at five-eighth as they seek more scoring options.
Tavita Latu comes back to the bench to add spark from dummy-half. Ali Lauiti'iti will play his 100th game for the club and has been appointed to run the team out.
Awen Guttenbeil pleaded guilty to a grade two high tackle charge after a show on David Myles during the loss to the Cowboys but escapes a ban, with demerit points carried over to ensure he will go next time.
New Zealand Warriors: Brent Webb, Henry Fa'afili, Vinnie Anderson, Clinton Toopi, Francis Meli, Thomas Leuluai, Stacey Jones, Jerry Seuseu, Monty Betham, Richard Villasanti, Logan Swann, Awen Guttenbeil, Sione Faumuina; interchange Tavita Latu, Iafeta Palea'aesina, Wairangi Koopu, Ali Lauiti'iti.
Manly Sea Eagles (likely): Brendon Reeves, Scott Donald, Ben MacDougall, Albert Torrens, Mitch Cleary, Ben Walker, Jason Ferris, Jason King, Chad Randall, Danny Lima, Solomon Haumono, Luke Williamson, Steve Menzies (c); interchange Sam Harris, Aaron Cannings, Anthony Watmough, Tony Jensen, Mark Shipway (one to be omitted).
NRL points table and fixtures
Rugby League: Sea Eagles eyeing Auckland prey
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