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“It’s my first ever round one win,” Faitala-Mariner said. “I’ve noticed the boys are a tight group. Having Benny Hunt there and him taking Kyle Flanagan under his wing [has helped]. I thought Sloany [Tyrell Sloan] was good at the back.

“Once those boys have clarity in what they’re doing, we’re just filling in our roles and staying in our lane.”

While Leilua will be parachuted into the NRL side, the Sea Eagles will keep another highly-paid back-rower on ice from the NRL squad for one more week with Josh Schuster to make his return to rugby league with Manly’s NSW Cup affiliate Blacktown Workers.

Schuster missed the Sea Eagles’ trip to Las Vegas having had an interrupted pre-season since Christmas with chickenpox, a broken finger and a calf strain.