Which is just where they want to be, says their former coach. Just like his Bulldogs were against Melbourne, Des Hasler was in fine form when he fronted the media before  Saturday night's showdown with the Sea Eagles.

Manly fullback Brett Stewart suggested his side couldn't win without suspended forward Anthony Watmough at the Allianz Stadium fixture. Hasler was having none if it.

"That's Snake at his best. He's been well tutored, hasn't he?" Hasler said.

"It's his 200th game, 'we're down on troops, we can't do it, we can't win'.

"I know what they're like."

Indeed, Hasler spent 255 games on the Northern Beaches as a player and a further 206 with clipboard in hand, enjoying premiership success in both pursuits. For most of that time he went to amusing lengths to "stay under the radar" or remain the underdog. Little has changed since switching from Brookvale to Belmore.

"I said earlier in the week I thought we'd be underdogs," he said, po faced.

"Where did Manly finish? [Second]. Where did we finish? [Seventh]. There you go."

He added: "It doesn't matter who you play, obviously playing Manly is great theatre, as you like to put it. But it is finals footy, it is sudden death and it's going to be another terrific game."

Hasler also dismissed suggestions that his skipper, Michael Ennis, was being disrespectful to Melbourne counterpart Cameron Smith when he patted the Australian hooker on the head after a mistake.

"It's the heat of the battle," Hasler said.

"Mick has come out, he wasn't being disrespectful, what happens on the field stays on the field."