At a time when rival sides have their halves combinations down pat, Josh Reynolds and Moses Mbye are still getting acquainted.

The Canterbury playmakers have only played in the halves together on five occasions this year, and in some of those they haven't seen out the duration of the game in the traditional halfback/five-eighth roles. That compares to the 21 occasions their finals ball-playing opponents, St George Illawarra internationals Gareth Widdop and Benji Marshall, have taken the field together. According to Champion Data, Moses and Mbye are the least familiar pairing of the halves in the finals, assuming that Mitchell Pearce makes his return from injury for the Roosters this weekend.

The next most unfamiliar halves pairing of 2015, South Sydney's combination of Adam Reynolds and Luke Keary, have played together 16 times and that doesn't take into consideration all of the games they have played together over the years, including last year's grand final win. Brisbane halves Ben Hunt and Anthony Milford have played together 23 times this year, the most of the remaining teams.

The emergence of Mbye had provided Canterbury coach Des Hasler a welcome headache as he attempted to squeeze him, Reynolds and Trent Hodkinson into two spots. However, the season-ending injury to Newcastle-bound Hodkinson has left Reynolds and Mbye little time to familiarise themselves with each other.

Asked how many times he has played a full game with Mbye, Reynolds said: "Probably only two or three times.

"Through the Origin period we played a couple of games and then on the weekend. We've got plenty to work on. We are still a fresh combo. Moses is very different to Trent too. Moses is a runner of the ball and so am I. At some stage both of us need to help each other and guide the boys around the park and make sure we get the things done that Dessie wants."

Hodkinson has been the main conductor during the Bulldogs' run to consecutive grand finals but Reynolds said he needs to take more responsibility as the senior partner in the new combination.

"I have to. I have been around this group of boys for four years now and Moses is young," Reynolds said.

"Not hiding the fact that he is great at what he does. For his age and how much he has played first grade, he is so mature in what he does and that definitely helps me. But I definitely want to take that upon myself and be - you might laugh - that calming influence on the team now.

"I have had my time when I could have been really aggressive and energetic and come out and might not think about things too much because I always had in the back of my head that Trent would be there to calm the storm.

"Whereas now he's gone. I won't change my game but just evolve into a smarter and more mature player so the boys can fall back onto me. I want to be that guy. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to change but I'm not the young kid anymore. It's more of a balancing act. I want to be more mature than I have in the past."

Hodkinson's omission isn't the only change to Canterbury's spine. Damien Cook has come in to replace injured hooker Michael Lichaa and has made an immediate impression.

Now he gets the opportunity to make an unlikely playoff appearance against his former club, the Dragons. Rather than having a point to prove, the Helensburgh product said he was grateful for the guidance he received plying his trade in the lower grades of the joint-venture outfit.

"Shane Millard and Paul McGregor were my coaches at the Illawarra Cutters," Cook said.

"They were really good to me, especially coming through that age of NSW Cup, which has been a good stepping stone for me.

"At the moment the whole coaching staff [at Canterbury], Tony Grimaldi, Jim Dymock and those guys have been an influence. Des himself and some of the senior guys have been very good to me the last couple of years and I'm very grateful.

"Des told me to do what I was doing in the Cup, just enjoy my footy. He knows how I've been training and he put trust in me to do the job."

Number of games each semi-final halves pairing has played together this season:

Josh Reynolds & Moses Mbye 5

Ben Hunt & Anthony Milford 23

James Maloney & Jackson Hastings 3

James Maloney & Mitchell Pearce 20

Cooper Cronk & Blake Green 21

Jeff Robson & Jack Bird 21

Adam Reynolds & Luke Keary 16

Benji Marshall & Gareth Widdop 21

Johnathan Thurston & Michael Morgan 18

Source: Champion Data