Canterbury coach Des Hasler says his minor premiers will have to step up a notch if they are to overcome title favourites Manly in Friday night’s NRL finals blockbuster.

As good as the Bulldogs were to finish the regular season in first place, Hasler said on Tuesday they would have to be better in their qualifying final at ANZ Stadium against the fourth-placed Sea Eagles, the team he guided to two premierships in the past four years.

The Sea Eagles are the form side heading into the finals with six straight wins to their credit, their last defeat being a 20-12 loss to Hasler’s Bulldogs at Brookvale Oval in round 20.

But while Hasler said that win would have given his side confidence and an insight into what’s needed to dethrone the premiers, he expects it to be harder still on Friday night.

“We’ve done all we possibly can, we’ve prepared well,” Hasler said.

“We’ve been playing reasonable footy, but we’re going to have to go up a notch against an outstanding side that is Manly.

“These two sides have played pretty well all year, it just gets down to that pointy end of the season now.

“The stakes are much higher. Everything just goes up a notch.”