Lewis Brown and Jack Gosiewski have been omitted from the 21-man squad for tomorrow’s clash against the Parramatta Eels at Lottoland.
Coach Trent Barrett has reduced his squad to 19 men with the final 17 to be declared an hour before the 4pm kick-off against the Eels.
Brown and Gosiewski played for Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles against Wentworthville Magpies this afternoon in round two of the Intrust Super Premiership.
Prop Lloyd Perrett and half Jackson Hastings remain part of the squad after impressive performances for Blacktown Workers in the draw against Wyong Roos last Friday.
Should Hastings make the final 17, he will be used as a utility with Lachlan Croker to start in his second game at five-eighth alongside half-back and captain Daly Cherry-Evans.
“Jackson gives us cover there at hooker, in the halves, and at full-back,’’ Barrett said today.
“I was really happy with the way Lachlan played last week. Had we kicked that field goal in Golden Point time, the headlines might have been different.
“(Toots) is young, it was his second game in first grade, and it is going to take some time.
“All of his team-mates are confident in what he can do. Defensively, I thought he was outstanding on that edge. There is two sides of footy. He is doing his job and that’s all we need him to do.”
Manly junior Brad Parker, who was 18th man for the Newcastle match last week, gets his chance in the centres in what will be his ninth NRL match.
“Brad has trained really hard in the off season and gives us something a little different,’’ Barrett added.
“It is a big occasion for Brad playing at home. He will be fine.”
Parramatta head to Lottoland on the back of an opening round loss to Penrith after building up a solid lead before fading away in the second half.
The Eels will be again looking to halves Corey Norman and Mitchell Moses to spark their attack on thhe back of their big forward pack.
The Sea Eagles will be hoping props Martin Taupau and Addin Fonua-Blake can reproduce their heavy workload shown against the Knights.
Parramatta has won six of the last eight matches against Manly.
Sea Eagles team
1 Tom Trbojevic
2 Jorge Taufua
3 Brad Parker
4 Brian Kelly
5 Akuila Uate
6 Lachlan Croker
7 Daly Cherry-Evans (C)
8 Addin Fonua-Blake
9 Api Koroisau
10 Martin Taupau
11 Joel Thompson
12 Curtis Sironen
13 Jake Trbojevic
Interchange
14 Jackson Hastings
15 Shaun Lane
16 Lloyd Perrett
17 Kelepi Tanginoa
18 Matthew Wright
21 Frank Winterstein
Manly vs Parramatta
Sunday, March 18, Lottoland
1.30pm: Gates open
1.50pm: Jersey Flegg Kick-off
4.10pm: NRL Kick-off
Buy tickets here
