Predicting Lote Tuqiri will find rugby league 'foreign' after seven years out of the game, Manly coach Des Hasler will tailor his match plan to ruthlessly expose the dual international in a bid to ruin his return to the NRL on Monday night.
Tuqiri will fly into Australia on Wednesday and is expected to line-up for the Tigers against the Sea Eagles at the SFS for his first game of rugby league since 2002.
While not doubting the ex-Wallaby's quality, Hasler believes it's a massive ask to expect the 30-year-old to deliver immediately after so long out of the game and just five days after stepping off a plane from England.
Asked the biggest challenges confronting Tuqiri, Hasler responded: "Probably the pace and intensity of the game."
"Playing on the wing they're not doing the hit-ups and the runs but it's still a fairly active game and a lot of work for wingers just getting back, chasing, the whole lot."
"He will find it a little bit foreign."
Sea Eagles co-captain Jason King admitted much of Manly's game plan would centre on targetting Tuqiri, who is likely to play left wing opposite David 'Wolfman' Williams.
"I'm sure Des will have a few words and a few video clips of him playing rugby or before he went to rugby," King said.
"We'll definitely be doing some homework on him."
"(It will take him time) getting used to the pace again, being back the 10m and a bit more collision."
After joking the match plan for Tuqiri will be to 'kick, trap him inside his 20 and he'll kick straight out on the full', Hasler declared the dreadlocked winger's signing a huge coup for the Tigers.
"Obviously he's a real bonus for them. I think that's why they are starting at $1.83 favourites (for Monday night)," he said.
"It's not as if he hasn't played football before. He's an outstanding athlete."
"He's got a lot of experience so we will see how he comes up."
King added: "It's a big ask but being a supreme athlete I don’t think he'll have any trouble fitting into their team and the NRL again."