The last round of NRL regular season footy features a mind-boggling amount of scenarios for Aotearoa Warriors, shiver me timbers it's Simon Mannering's 300th game as well. Whether pondering all those scenarios or reflecting on Mannering's glittering career, all that matters is what the Warriors can control on Friday night at Mt Smart vs Canberra Raiders.

And that's getting the W. The Warriors can finish as high as 2nd and as low as 8th, with obvious repercussions. To some extent the Warriors are at the mercy of other NRL results and given what has gone down over the past month, relying on 'better' teams to defeat those teams who are playing their last game of the season this weekend, is foolish. Yes the Warriors are at the mercy of the NRL to shuffle them into where ever they will finish on the ladder, most importantly though is a win over the Raiders.

First met Simon Mannering in 2005. He then became my first ever NRL interview in the Warriors sheds in 2009. Fast forward to 2018, now discussing him making 300 games and being a one club man. One of the best humans in the game, he’ll be missed! pic.twitter.com/kUagKPXJ9x
— Hayley Byrnes (@HayleyByrnes) August 28, 2018

The Raiders defeated Sydney Roosters last week, telling you all you need to know about the uncertainty around this weekend's games. Despite that upset win, I'm expecting the Warriors to handle their business, in part because of Mannering's milestone. This is the greatest Warrior ever, playing his 300th game and perhaps his last game at Mt Smart. Knowing what we know about the Warriors culture under Stephen Kearney, everyone in the Warriors organisation will be going above and beyond to ensure that Mannering tastes victory in such a monumental game.

I feel like it's impossible for the Warriors to lose this game. Obviously we all know better than genuinely believing such an outlandish statement, which could make this game an intriguing juncture for the club as the build into the future sans Mannering. It feels impossible to lose and if the Warriors can back that up, feel the pressure and get the job done, we could be witnessing a low key immense change in the Warriors.

Kearney has selected the same team, with a minor tweak being Gerard Beale named on the bench ahead of Leivaha Pulu. We won't know until kick-off what's doing here, but this isn't anything weird or crazy from Kearney as he has simply swapped Peta Hiku and Beale; Hiku was named on the bench last week ahead of Pulu, Beale gets injured, Hiku starts and Pulu comes on to the bench.

Having contemplated the Hiku/Beale/Solomone Kata conundrum a lot recently, I'm eager to see what role Beale plays off the bench and obviously how Hiku goes at right centre. Hiku will be marking Michael Oldfied, not Joey Leilua, which is handy, although this will tell us a bit about Kata's credentials as he'll have to stop Leilua.

Ultimately though, things could be very different next week for the Finals. We know Blake Green will probably slide back into the halves for example and just because it's Hiku/Kata starting, Beale on the bench, for this game, doesn't mean that this will be the mix for next week.

The combination of Adam Blair, Tohu Harris and Simon Mannering is so solid, it instills confidence in me and maybe you, probably the players as well. Last week the ball went right far more often than it went left, so look for greater involvement from the left edge and Blair specifically. If Blair can suss out the attacking combination with Lino, the Warriors will pose a threat on either edge and Canberra's defence will struggle to limit the point-scoring.

Whether Isaiah Papali'i gets minutes on an edge, replacing Blair, or comes on through the middle will also be something to keep tabs on. Jazz Tevaga's rotation is clockwork and Bunty Afoa is likely to come on around the 25-30 minute mark, how Papali'i fits into that mix could be crucial to moving the bigger Raiders pack around.

There was a temptation to write a tribute to Mannering, but in true Mannering fashion, I'm sticking to the script of the focus being on grabbing a win. Time will come to go down the Mannering tribute route and he'll enjoy the type of Mt Smart celebration that is thoroughly deserved, Friday night is all business though. That's what Mannering will be focused on and what Mannering would have told his Warriors comrades. Get those business socks on Lord Simon.

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Peace and love 27.