South Sydney coach Michael Maguire says skipper Michael Crocker knows he needs to lift his level of performance if he is to push his way into the Rabbitohs’ starting line-up.

Crocker was surprisingly named on the bench for Thursday’s season-opening blockbuster against Sydney Roosters at Allianz Stadium, Maguire preferring Chris McQueen and new signing Ben Te’o in the second row and Ben Lowe at lock.

Maguire also named Crocker on the bench before shifting him to the starting side for the Charity Shield win over St George Illawarra, but he admitted the veteran former Test and Queensland Origin representative was a shade below some of his less illustrious teammates.

“It’s a big thing on performance,” Maguire said on Tuesday.

“The players themselves understand what’s required, Michael himself understands that as well.

“He’s a massive part of what we do here and he sets really high standards for himself and he understands the guys are in front of him just at the moment.

“He needs to work hard and push his way into this team.”

The form of McQueen and former Brisbane back-rower Te’o – who came to the Rabbitohs in search of more playing time – has also allowed Maguire to move Sam Burgess into the front row.

It’s a move away from the gameplan of 2012, when Burgess and former Rabbitoh Dave Taylor were used as hulking attacking weapons on the edge of the ruck.

“He gives us some good presence there around the middle,” Maguire said of Burgess.

Nathan Merritt has been restored to the wing after being dumped for the Charity Shield as punishment for sleeping in and missing a training session, while Beau Champion will pull on a Souths jumper for the first time in two years in an NRL game having been named in the centres.