Recruits Glenn Stewart and Tim Grant have been named on an extended South Sydney bench for their pre-season Charity Shield clash with St George Illawarra on Saturday.

Stewart missed much of his final season with Manly due to an ankle injury and is expected to get his first hitout for the defending premiers at ANZ Stadium.

Fellow forward John Sutton spoke highly of the damaging backrower on Tuesday, saying he had lost 10kg and was in superb training form.

Prop Grant, formerly of Penrith, will look to add some steel to a Souths pack that lost brothers Sam and Luke Burgess and Ben Te’o at the end of the 2014 season.

Souths come into the match on a high having won the Auckland Nines on Sunday.

With new captain Greg Inglis to be kept in cotton wool until he plays for the Indigenous All Stars against the NRL All Stars on February 13, hooker Issac Luke will lead the Rabbitohs, just like he did at the Nines.

Sutton is still recovering from a shoulder operation.

It’s an otherwise strong South Sydney side that sees key backs Alex Johnston and Luke Keary turn out for the first time this season.

Souths: Alex Johnston, Daryl Millard, Dylan Walker, Bryson Goodwin, Joel Reddy, Luke Keary, Adam Reynolds, George Burgess, Issac Luke (c), Dave Tyrrell, Kyle Turner, Chris McQueen, Jason Clark. Interchange (from): Cameron McInnes, Chris Grevsmuhl, Glenn Stewart, Tim Grant, Ben Lowe, Scott Sorensen, Brock Gray, Angus Crichton, Sam Manuleleua, Setefano Taukafa, Tom Hughes.