North Queensland Toyota Cowboys head coach Paul Green says he'll make decisions on his lineup to play Manly at 1300SMILES Stadium on Monday night with a long-term view.
"I've got to do what's best for the team and for the club long-term," Green said in today's team announcement media conference.
The coach has named his five Origin players involved in Wednesday night's State of Origin Game II in his Round 16 team.
Monday night's Sea Eagles match kicks off a run of three games – including road fixtures against the Rabbitohs (in Cairns) and the Raiders – before their second bye, in Round 19.
The Cowboys currently sit third on the NRL ladder with nine wins and five losses from 14 matches played.
They are one of three teams on 20 competition points, joining the Broncos and the Eels, but ahead of those two teams on points differential.
The Storm are in outright second on 24 points while the Sharks have dropped just two games this year to lead the competition on 26 points.
The Sea Eagles are 14th on the ladder with four wins and 10 losses to date.