NRL 2016 season: Manly vs Canterbury Round 1 preview, live streaming info, play-by-play updates and team lineup

The Manly Sea Eagles will host the Canterbury Bulldogs on Friday night at Brookvale Oval, with both clubs looking to kick-off their 2016 NRL season on a winning note.

A new-look Manly side will take on a depleted Bulldogs lineup on Friday night for Round 1 of the 2016 NRL season. Martin Taupau, Dylan Walker, Nate Myles, Lewis Brown, Nathan Green and Apisai Koroisau will all debut for the Sea Eagles under new coach Trent Barrett, officially launching the club’s new era sans Kiwi five-eighth star Kiernan Foran and former coach Geoff Toovey.

Taupau, one of the eight offseason signings by Manly, revealed the club’s physical and mental preparations during the preseason would help the Sea Eagles in their matchup against Canterbury, who have won seven of their past nine games against the Northern beaches. The blockbusting Kiwi said he was ready to go head-to-head with Bulldogs’ giant forward pack as he looks to play finals football for the first time since his NRL debut in 2010.

"It's good to see where everyone is at,” Taupau told the Sydney Morning Herald. “It'll be a solid first hit out. Despite a few suspensions and injuries that both teams have it'll be a very exciting game."

Meanwhile, Canterbury will be without fullback Brett Morris, who has been ruled out for four months after complications with knee surgery, reports the ABC. Morris was initially expected to miss only a few weeks of the 2016 season, but the arthroscopic surgery he had on Monday revealed additional problems leading to stem cells being inserted into his knee.

Former Eel William Hopoate steps in as replacement for Morris and plays alongside fellow State of Origin representative Josh Reynolds. Coach Des Hasler insisted the team will their size advantage, but will also frontline the club’s “team spirit,” which he noted was evident from last season.

"In 2015 the side never gave up, it never laid down and it never capitulated," Hasler said. "The same attitude is not unlike some of the other sensational football teams in this club's great history. That is the very attitude that I think 2016 offers: great hope and great expectation.”

Canterbury Bulldogs lineup

William Hopoate , Curtis Rona, Josh Morris, Chase Stanley, Sam Perrett, Josh Reynolds, Moses Mbye, Aiden Tolman, Michael Lichaa, James Graham, Josh Jackson, Tony Williams, Greg Eastwood Interchange: Sam Kasiano, Danny Fualalo, Tim Browne, Adam Elliott, Shaun Lane Coach: Des Hasler

Manly Sea Eagles lineup

Brett Stewart, Jorge Taufua, Jamie Lyon, Steve Matai, Tom Trbojevic, Dylan Walker, Daly Cherry-Evans, Jake Trbojevic, Apisai Koroisau, Nate Myles, Lewis Brown, Nathan Green, Martin Taupau Interchange: Matt Parcell, Blake Leary, Darcy Lussick, Feleti Mateo, Siosaia Vave Coach: Trent Barrett

Live streaming info and play-by-play updates

Watch NRL 2016 season Round 1: Manly Sea Eagles vs Canterbury Bulldogs live via NRL Digital Pass. Play-by-play updates will be available during game time on Fox Sports AU.