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The Warriors are dismissing suggestions that the Manly team they play tomorrow is substandard following the withdrawal of five regulars.
Missing are star fullback Brett Stewart, test prop Brent Kite and Queensland State of Origin centre Steve Bell plus lock Luke Williamson.
But back are game-runner Matt Orford at halfback, Kiwis test centre Steve Matai, prop Jason King and utility Travis Burns.
The changed finals format this year means teams can earn more than one home game and other Sydney clubs the Bulldogs and Eels are accusing the Eagles of "tanking" this game to manipulate their finals opponents.
Manly have included rookies Michael Bani, who looks likely to play on the wing, and secondrower Vic Mauro, who may or may not make the bench.
Bulldogs chief executive Malcolm Noad said the selection decision offered the Warriors a "free jump into the top four" and both he and Eels counterpart Denis Fitzgerald said the Eagles' decision was not in the spirit of the game, that the Warriors' sellout crowd and the TV audience had good right to feel let down. Warriors' coach Ivan Cleary expects a torrid game from his old club. The Warriors' chief executive Wayne Scurrah dismissed the comments from Noad and Fitzgerald.
"It's a good team as far as we're concerned. I don't think anyone's hard done by. There is no way this is going to be a foregone conclusion," he said.
There will be 26,672 fans there, short of the best of 32,174 when the stadium had a different layout.
Manly's CEO Grant Mayer denied any bad sportsmanship. Their coach Des Hasler maintains those withdrawn are all carrying injuries. If there has been any slight on the Warriors it's all the more reason for them to clean Manly out.
Fitzgerald gave them a warning about a second loss going into playoffs, as finals are all about momentum.
The Warriors will determine their bench as late as possible and fullback Wade McKinnon is still to be cleared. "He's looking good, the decision will be made on the day," a spokesman said.
The Warriors will wear a jersey that marks the winning feats of the 1977 Auckland team who beat Australia, Great Britain and France. Attending the match are coach Bill Sorensen's widow Olga, captain and Kiwi legend Dennis Williams, new Kiwi coach Gary Kemble plus other team members Dane O'Hara, Lyndsay Proctor, John Smith, John Wilson, Glenn Taylor, Mark Lowe, Dave Lepper, Alan McCarthy and Luther Toloa.
The other eight players who are not expected are Mark Graham, Olsen Filipaina, Kurt Sorensen, Warren Winter, Dave Sorensen, Chris Jordan and Stan Napa (all living in Australia) and Fred Ah Kuoi, who lives in the United States.
