With seven players out of Manly's team to face the Sydney Roosters, coach Des Hasler has been forced to dig deep to find fit bodies.
Coach Des Hasler has been forced to look to his youth squad and feeder club to deal with the fallout of seven players refusing to wear the NRL club's pride jersey.
Jason Saab, Christian Tuipulotu, Josh Schuster, Haumole Olakau'atu, Josh Aloiai, Tolutau Koula and Toafofoa Sipley have all opted against donning the rainbow-trimmed jersey on religious grounds against the Sydney Roosters on Thursday.
As a result is now digging into the depth of Manly's youth set-up and feeder club Blacktown to name a squad.
There will be at least three debutants for Manly on Thursday at Brookvale Oval, with Pio Seci and Alfred Smalley named on the wing and James Segeyaro listed as a bench hooker.
Segeyaro has spent the last year with Blacktown in the NSW Cup after copping a two-year drugs ban for the use of a performance-enhancing substance while with Brisbane in 2019.
The hooker, who has won five caps for Papua New Guinea, played over 100 NRL games for North Queensland, Cronulla and Penrith.
He also spent time with Leeds in the Super League and is the best known of all of Manly's stand-in players.
Winger Seci spent last year with Fijian Ron Massey Cup side the Kaiviti Silktails. He also represented Fiji and had a stint in France with Avignon.
Smalley has played for Niue at international level and scored six tries in 14 games for Blacktown at NSW Cup level this year.
Hasler has also named Zac Fulton and James Roumanos in the extended squad.
Fulton is the grandson of club great Bob and has played in the backrow for Manly's youth teams.
Roumanos, 22, is also a backrower who was previously with Canterbury and has represented Lebanon.
Manly team: 1. Reuben Garrick 2. Pio Seci* 3. Morgan Harper 4. Dylan Walker 5. Alfred Smalley* 6. Kieran Foran 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Taniela Paseka 9. Lachlan Croker 10. Kurt De Luis 11. Ethan Bullemor 12. Andrew Davey 13. Jake Trbojevic 14. James Segeyaro** 15. Sean Keppie 16. Martin Taupau 17. Morgan Boyle 18. Zac Fulton* 19. Kaeo Weekes 20. James Roumanos*
*Denotes NRL debut
** Denotes Manly debut
