FORMER South Sydney Rabbitoh prop Josh Starling gets first crack to stake a claim for a spot in the Sea Eagles top squad during tonight's opening trial against Cronulla at Redomis Stadium.
The 23-year-od will start in Manly's main side that will play in the third quarter of the game against the Sharks after impressing coaching staff with his efforts during the club's pre-season campaign.
His performance takes on greater significance with the club's frontrow stocks stretched to the limit following the forced retirement of experienced front-rower Richie Fa'aoso this week.
Starling. 23, played with Souths for the past two seasons where he caught the eye of Sea Eagles recruitment manager Dave Warwick in his seven NRL games.
Fellow prop Jason King won't play this evening as he continues his comeback after being sidelined for most of last season following a shoulder reconstruction.
"We have confirmation Jason can start some contact now and he is hopefully going to be right for round one, that is what we are aiming for," said coach Geoff Toovey said.
The Sea Eagles will rely on King's seniority and experience even more this year following the departures of Fa'aoso, Brent Kite, Joe Galuvao and George Rose.
"It is important that Jason gets back on the field as quickly as possible," Toovey said
The Sea Eagles are treating tonight as a genuine trial.
"We will start with the lesser known people in that first half and the majority of the side you saw finish last year will play that third 20 minutes," Toovey said.
"It will be a short lived thing for them but it will be good to have a hit out, I know Cronulla are doing a similar thing.
"It is just about all this hard training pre-season and putting that into practice on the field."
The Sea Eagles side for the third quarter: Brett Stewart, Peta Hiku, Jamie Lyon, Steve Matai, David Williams, Kieran Foran, Daly Cherry-Evans, Josh Starling, Matt Ballin, Brenton Lawrence, Anthony Watmough, Jamie Buhrer, Glenn Stewart.
First quarter:. Matt Ikuvalu, Mark O'Dare, Dominic Reardon, Delroy Berryman, Mitch Manson, Jack Littlejohn, Manaia Rudolph, Tyson Andrews, Santana Palmer, Ligi Sao, Jesse Sene Lafao, Michael Chee Cam, James Hasson Reserves: James Hasson, Tom Symonds, Jesse Sene-Lefao Dumanis Lui, Manaia Rudolph.
Jon Geddes
Manly Daily
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/northern-beaches/exrabbitoh-josh-starling-gets-shot-in-sea-eagles-top-squad/story-fngr8iii-1226819699450