Manly coach Geoff Toovey admits he has enjoyed his Canterbury counterpart Des Hasler cranking up his famous mind games ahead of Saturday’s NRL semi-final.

No sooner had the Bulldogs booked an Allianz Stadium date last Sunday, after dumping Melbourne out of the playoffs, than Hasler was declaring his resurgent side underdogs against the injury-hit and out-of-form Sea Eagles.

Manly soon returned fire with fullback Brett Stewart declaring Manly couldn’t win without suspended NSW back-rower Anthony Watmough, while veteran Manly prop Jason King vowed he would ignore anything Hasler said or did in the lead-up to Saturday night.

In what could easily be a scene from Hollywood hit Being John Malkovich, but with Hasler in the lead role, Toovey couldn’t resist an overture to his former boss, who led Manly to premiership success in 2008 and 2011, before defecting to Belmore.

“With Des it is more comical than anything,” Toovey said;

“I’m sure we all sit back and have a laugh and I’m sure he is having a laugh as well.

“It has been a long time, it has been two and half years since Des was here and we have all moved forward from there.

“Every team uses the same moves and the same training methods, it is a matter of the players putting their best foot forward and that is what they need to do on Saturday night.

“The players with that (greatest) desire and will to win will come out on top.”

Toovey then opened to a page in the Hasler playbook.

“They were a bit off a month ago but have found some form and confidence, they will be the favourites and I think the bookies think so as well,” Toovey said.