Wests Tigers will have a timely preview into life without Luke Brooks when they roll the dice on the new halves pairing of Daine Laurie and Brandon Wakeham in round 18.
It comes as Wakeham insists he has what it takes to assume the halfback duties at the Tigers once Brooks joins Manly from next season.
The Sea Eagles confirmed Brooks's contract on Monday, bringing an end to 11 tumultuous years at the club with whom the halfback has become synonymous.
The move has been hailed as a new beginning for a player who has long been maligned for his ability to inspire a finals berth in over 200 Tigers games.
"I'm disappointed that he's not going to be with us but at the end of the day he's got to look after himself and his family," said Tigers prop David Klemmer.
Brooks' imminent departure and Adam Doueihi's anterior cruciate ligament injury mean the Tigers will enter 2024 without either of their current first-choice playmakers.
Time is now running out to secure a halves pairing that can help make the coaching transition from Tim Sheens to Benji Marshall a smooth one after 2024.
The Tigers have made failed plays for Mitch Moses, Shaun Johnson and Cameron Munster in recent times and short of coaxing a player out of their current contract, have few genuine game-breaking halves to choose from for 2024.
Wests are also short on replacement options internally, with their only other specialist half Wakeham off contract at the season's end but keen for the chance to step up and replace Brooks.
"I'm confident in myself that I have the ability to do that but there's no point in being confident, we've got to put some wins together," he said.
"They're not going to put someone in there that's not performing. I found that out at the start of the year. I played a couple of games and then I dropped back to NSW Cup."
Saturday's clash against North Queensland presents the 16th-placed Tigers with a chance for some clarity around their urgent halves situation, when they roll out their fourth unique halves pairing for the season.
Sheens played centre Starford To'a at five-eighth in the side's most recent game but the move failed to spark the Tigers, so the coach changed tack and recalled Laurie for his first game since round four.
Off-contract at season's end, Laurie has fallen behind rookie Jahream Bula in the fullback stakes at Concord and has been shopped around to rivals.
But they will rely on him shining in his non-preferred position of five-eighth against the Cowboys as Wakeham calls the shots from halfback.
"It can open the game up for us. I can be at the back controlling the team, being the vocal guy and he can chime in whenever he wants," Wakeham said.
"We all know how 'Daino' plays, he's got good speed and that's what we're looking for him to do this week: Get the ball and run it."
