Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan says he has some "big decisions" to make with a host of players fighting for outside back spots heading into round one.
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Michael Gordon, Mitch Brown, Jacob Gagan and Sami Sauiluma will get a chance to impress after being named to take on the Sea Eagles at Pittwater Park on Saturday night. While Gordon is a certainty to start the season at fullback the rest of Cronulla's backline remains largely unsettled.
Kiwi representative Gerard Beale will play centre while Valentine Holmes, Sosaia Feki, Ricky Leutele and Blake Ayshford will compete for the remaining spots. Ayshford and Holmes were particularly impressive in Cronulla's Auckland Nines squad.
Flanagan said there was plenty of depth in the outside backs. "Blake Ayshford was unreal, he had a great off season and changed his body, lost a lot of weight around his midsection and is a lot stronger than he's ever been," Flanagan said.
"He had a good tournament. You've got him and Gerard Beale is just class. Mitch Brown comes back on the wing and Gagan. I've got some big decisions with the backs."
Holmes is expected to start the season on the wing but will interchange with Gordon throughout parts of the game in what will be similar to the way the Roosters rotated Anthony Minichiello and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck last year.
"Valentine Holmes got a bit of a taste last year and showed he's got some talent," Flanagan said.
Saturday's trial will also double as the first hit-out for new halves pairing Ben Barba and Jeff Robson. Robson will skipper in the side in the absence of Paul Gallen and Wade Graham. A host of top graders are missing from Cronulla's 26-man squad with Michael Ennis, Luke Lewis and Andrew Fifita sidelined.
Jayson Bukuya will play his first game since returning to the club following a 12-month stint in New Zealand. The match will also be Anthony Tupou's first since his drug ban ended while David Fifita will play prop.
Manly have named an extended 36-man squad, including a host of NRL players. Willie Mason will play his first game for the club as will Feleti Mateo. Brett Stewart, Jaime Lyon, Daly Cherry-Evans, Matt Ballin and David Williams have all been named.
Meanwhile, former Cronulla five-eighth Daniel Holdsworth has signed with Wests in the Illawarra competition.
