Manly coach Geoff Toovey says star pair Steve Matai and Anthony Watmough will be fit for Friday night’s NRL top-of-the-table clash with South Sydney at the SCG.

Watmough had been in doubt with a knee injury, while Matai was concussed in last week’s 16-4 victory over Brisbane.

Winger Jorge Taufua is also expected to make his comeback from an ankle injury after missing the Sea Eagles’ past two outings.

Taufua was a late scratching last week but his return leaves the competition pacesetters at near full strength for the heavyweight showdown.

Toovey also allayed fears their fans have seen the last of Glenn Stewart in a Sea Eagles jersey.

Stewart, who has signed for Souths for next NRL season, is struggling to recover from a knee injury he suffered against Canberra in April.

Toovey said while Stewart’s recuperation had been slow, he is expected to be back on deck before the finals.

“He’s a few weeks away, he had a setback a few weeks back, but other than that he’s travelling fine and we’re hopeful he’ll be back before semi-finals,” he said on Thursday.

Captain Jamie Lyon said Stewart was desperate to pull on the maroon and white jersey again and the players want to win the title for him.

“I hope he can get back out there,” Lyon said.

“He’s done some great things for the club and I would love to do it with him again.

“It’s an injury that’s hard to get on top of. He might have tried to come back a bit too hard too early.”