You might have missed it, you might not even care for it but the Warriors pulled off a solid low key signing this week by snapping up former Junior Warrior and Manly Sea Eagle Ligi Sao. Sao will return home next season and since making his debut earlier this year he's featured heavily in our Kiwi NRL Stocks on the Stocks Up list.

This is a great signing for the simple fact that Sao won't be on big money and that he offers good value. While Sao wasn't apparently on the list of players to be shown the door at Manly, you would assume that Manly wouldn't stand in his way if he was offered a deal somewhere else, hence I don't think the Warriors would be paying him more than what he deserves (as is usually the case). Sao has recently started games at lock and is a solid NRL forward who is big, mobile and has a few skills as well. After spending a few years at Manly and from what I've seen of him this season he's an upgrade on forwards like Sione Lousi, Sam Rapira and Dominique Peyroux (who is leaving to go to St Helens). 

I hate to do this but next year our bench could look something like Sao, Albert Vete, Sam Lisone and Charlie Gubb. That's the sort of bench I want to see.

Forget the distractions and off-field games that seem to cling to the Sea Eagles this season, headlined by news today that coach Geoff Toovey will be sacked and Manly are still a solid NRL team. Guys are playing for contracts and their backs are up against the wall, which is always a bad sign for their opponents.

We focus on the Warriors though and my biggest 'wtf' thing with coach Andrew McFadden just keeps on happening as he keeps rolling out confusing selections. This time they are somewhat forced with Charlie Gubb still out injured and I think we should all assume that Sam Lisone is being rested and will see much more game time from this point forward. I say with great sarcasm that Lousi and Rapira have been rewarded for their performances last week with another game this week.

We will also probably see Siliva Havili play 10 minutes, great.

Tuimoala Lolohea's move to centre is thanks to David Fuistua suffering a knee injury, so that's all good and Glenn Fisiahii makes a long awaited return to the NRL on the wing. This did however raise a a thought with Fusitua out injured just as we thought we had great depth - if they aren't competing for starting spots, it's not depth. 

The Manly forward pack is there for the taking and this is where we need to see the biggest improvement from the Warriors. Shaun Johnson and Chad Townsend need to be much better, but this will come if their forwards are going forward and serving up some aggression. It's been puzzling as to how the Warriors forward pack can look so timid at stages this season and they need to start ruffling feathers, the Sea Eagles offer the chance to get some confidence back and take the position of the bully.

Once again we are without Manu Vatuvei and Ryan Hoffman, so my expectations are tempered somewhat. We all seem to forget that Vatuvei is the best Warriors winger ever, he's the best winger to ever play for the club and anytime that we are without him, we won't be as good. Throw in a New South Wales stalwart in Hoffman and the Warriors suddenly take on a vastly different look, more professional.

I'm yet to be convinced by Raymond Faitala-Mariner defensively as he offers power and aggression on attack but obviously doesn't quite share Hoffman's ability to make smart decisions and get up quickly to put pressure on the opposition. With Daly Cherry-Evans to sit on the right edge, expect him to work RFM over and test him out - we'll see how RFM responds which will be crucial.

It's an interesting match up because despite last week's effort, the Warriors have the edge in the forwards while the Manly backline takes the bickies over the Warriors backline, headline by their halves combination. If the Warriors lose, it will be because their forwards didn't dominate Manly's forwards, who were able to set some sort of platform - that wouldn't be a good sign and if the Warriors can't get good field position because they aren't making enough metres, they'll be in trouble.

Don't sleep on how good Tui Lolohea has been, consistently. Last week he looked a threat every time he got the ball and he will get far more ball at centre this week. It's a nice little test for him as he will come up against Steve Matai and I'll be very interested to see how he handles it.