Manly will call on the brilliant mind of Newcastle champion Andrew Johns as they plot to bring down the Knights in Sunday's NRL clash at Brookvale Oval.
Newcastle's greatest player, the halfback who guided them to both of their premierships, is now a full-time employee of the Knights' greatest rival and he delivered instant results in the form of match-winning efforts from young Sea Eagles halves Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran in round one.
The pair mixed skill with strength in the victory over Brisbane, just as Johns did in a glittering career for Newcastle, NSW and Australia that led to NRL Immortality last year.
His fingerprints were everywhere, with Cherry-Evans playing arguably his best game since his all-conquering rookie season.
''I think he's added a lot to not only myself and Kieran but to the team in general,'' Cherry-Evans said. ''He's a very knowledgeable man and his guidance out on the training paddock has been great.''
Cherry-Evans scored a wonderful solo try and produced a number of rib-rattling tackles, including one on Broncos centre Jack Reed which dislodged the ball and led to David Williams' match-sealing try.
''I think it's always good to start the year off on the winning side of things,'' Cherry-Evans said. ''We're just looking to build on that and keep the Ws continuing this year.''
Foran and Cherry-Evans struggled to match their premiership-winning efforts of 2011 last season, but star fullback Brett Stewart heaped praise on the pair's standout start to the year.
Manly are expected to field an unchanged starting line-up from the side which downed Brisbane, with Sydney Roosters recruit Tom Symonds to drop from the bench.
Co-captain Jason King remains sidelined with a shoulder injury but has resumed full contact in training and is on track for a return against the Gold Coast.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home, but for the Gold Coast Titans that adage has been anything but a comfort over the past two NRL seasons.
The Titans make their first appearance at Robina Stadium on Sunday against Canberra, having won just seven matches at their home ground in the past two years.
While last year's tally of four home wins from 12 matches was one better than the paltry three in 2011, coach John Cartwright knows form must change for his team.
''We haven't been so good here the past couple of years,'' Cartwright said. ''We're back to scratch, it all starts from tomorrow. We want to make it a fortress.''
The first visitors to the Gold Coast are the Raiders, a club reeling after the midweek sacking of star fullback Josh Dugan.
It's the second time in as many weeks the Titans have come up against a club in crisis following the opening round loss to Cronulla. But Cartwright thinks off-field situations shouldn't change results.
''I think that gets beat up in the media a fair bit,'' he said.
''When you're out there in the heat of the battle and it's 13 on 13, all that stuff goes out the window.
''We've got no excuses where that's concerned. We've had a good build-up and we're ready to go.''
A bonus for Cartwright was the news winger Kevin Gordon will be fit to play.
Gordon suffered a corked thigh in the 12-10 loss to Cronulla but Cartwright was happy with the winger's fitness.
Sunday's match is also the club's 150th fixture since joining the NRL, making it also game 150 as a head coach for Cartwright.
AAP
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