Lachlan Ilias will set about making the No.7 jersey his own as South Sydney's post-Adam Reynolds era begins with an NRL trial against North Queensland on Saturday night.
A handful of clubs have named squads ahead of the first batch of official pre-season games this weekend, beginning with Friday night's Sydney Roosters-Canberra and Wests Tigers-Manly double-header at Leichhardt Oval.
In his first match since taking over from Wayne Bennett, Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou has selected nine players with NRL experience to face the Cowboys at Barlow Park in Cairns.
The squad includes Ilias, grand final fullback Blake Taaffe, winger Jaxson Paulo, former Raider Siliva Havili and Shaq Mitchell, who will push for an NRL contract after representing the Indigenous All Stars.
Ilias has only played one first-grade game but is expected to get the first shot at replacing new Brisbane general Reynolds.
Taaffe impressed when deputising at fullback for the suspended Latrell Mitchell last year and is likely to reprise that role for the first two rounds as the NSW Origin star completes his ban.
North Queensland left out captain Jason Taumalolo from their squad, prioritising emerging talent and recruits such as versatile journeyman Brendan Elliot and former Fiji rugby sevens player Iosefo Baleiwairiki.
Elsewhere, Canterbury will roll out big-name additions Tevita Pangai Jr, Matt Dufty and Paul Vaughan in their clash with Newcastle at McDonald Jones Stadium on Monday.
Fellow Bulldogs signings Josh Addo-Carr and Brent Naden will sit out after representing the Indigenous All Stars while five-eighth Matt Burton is being rested as a precaution following a COVID-19 infection.
No other clubs released trial squads on Tuesday afternoon.
Dragons prop George Burgess is set to make his comeback from major hip surgery against Parramatta at CommBank Stadium on Sunday.
Burgess, who last featured in the NRL for the Rabbitohs in 2019, hasn't played competitively since leaving Super League club Wigan in late 2020 due to his chronic injury.
However, a hip resurfacing procedure has given him the chance to restart his career.
"George will play in the trials, he's in good shape," St George Illawarra coach Anthony Griffin recently told AAP.
"He just finished a real intense five-week block. He hasn't worked this hard in a long time because of his hip issue. He's done a really good job."
There is no cap on squad numbers or interchanges during trial games.
WEEK ONE NRL TRIAL SCHEDULE
Friday
Canberra v Sydney Roosters, 6pm AEDT at Leichhardt Oval
Wests Tigers v Manly, 8pm AEDT at Leichhardt Oval
Saturday
Melbourne v Warriors, 4pm AEDT at Casey Fields
South Sydney v North Queensland, 6pm AEST at Barlow Park
Gold Coast v Brisbane, 8pm AEST at Cbus Super Stadium
Sunday
Cronulla v Penrith, 4pm AEDT at CommBank Stadium
Parramatta v St George Illawarra, 6pm AEDT at CommBank Stadium
Monday
Newcastle v Canterbury, 7pm AEDT at McDonald Jones Stadium
