Manly wary of Burgess and co

MANLY’S forwards stood up to the powerful Raiders pack in the golden-point win last week and coach Trent Barrett says they must do the same against the Sam Burgess-led Souths forwards tonight.

“We’re going to have to. The Canberra pack’s big and so is this one,” Barrett said yesterday.

“I’m confident they can do a job.

“They proved to themselves that they can do it at different stages through the year and we’ve just got to be consistent with it.”

Barrett said there was plenty going on between the two sides up front last week and that his players enjoyed going head to head with Canberra’s big men.

But he also said the focus must always be on securing the two points.

“Look, that’s the way the game went. It was a pretty fiery game,” he said.

“I don’t mind, I think the players enjoy it. But some games are like that, some aren’t.

“We’ve just got to make sure we win – I’m not too concerned about the style of what it is.”

Barrett said stopping the likes of Burgess and the rest of the Rabbitohs forwards would go a long way to helping the Sea Eagles win the game.

However, he said it was key to make sure Adam Reynolds, who is set to return from a hip injury that kept him out of the last round, did not have the same influence he did in the 38-18 win for Souths in round two.

“He kicked us off the park last time we were here at Brookvale and we’re going to have to do a good job on him,” Barrett said.

“That’s one of his strengths but what comes before that is a lot of big bodies rolling forward. South Sydney do that very well. We’re going to have to be really good physically.”