A night out may have hurt Tim Smith in the hip pocket but it failed to harm his NRL prospects with the Cronulla playmaker handed the Sharks No.7 jumper for Friday's must-win game against South Sydney.

Smith, who was handcuffed and taken away by police and later fined $550 for remaining in the vicinity of a licensed premises after being refused entry on Saturday night, was called up to replace five-eighth Albert Kelly, who was ruled out for eight weeks with a fractured leg.

He beat out Scott Porter for the right to partner Wade Graham at the scrumbase, Smith and Porter having duelled it out in recent weeks playing alongside each other for the Sharks NSW Cup side.

Star forward Anthony Tupou said he expected Smith to lift the luckless Sharks to what he describes as a "must-win" game.

"Him being in the team is good, he's a quality player and he's a first grade player and he'll slot in well," Tupou told AAP.

"Hopefully he'll bring what he's good at, his kicking and everything else, and give us a bit of spark which I think he will.

"Hopefully he can really lift us.

"I think those close game we played good in but didn't win, they're catching up to us now and it's pretty much must-win, and probably likewise for Souths."

Tupou said he would take it upon himself to play more of a role in attack with Kelly and Nathan Gardner out - and said Smith would have no problem combining with Graham in the halves.

The Sharks have also included Isaac Gordon at fullback to replace Gardner, who is expected to be out for a fortnight with an ankle ligament injury.

The Bunnies have Ben Ross starting alongside Roy Asotasi in the front row as they deal with a shocking injury toll, Sam Burgess the latest casualty with an ankle injury which is expected to sideline the Englishman for at least six weeks.

So stretched are Souths that coach John Lang hasn't been able to name a specialist prop on the bench, with backrowers Jason Clark, Shannan McPherson and Eddy Pettybourne joining backup hooker Nathan Peats.

Canberra welcome back veteran halfback Matt Orford from a back complaint, with skipper Alan Tongue to again start from the bench for Sunday's home game against Wests Tigers.

Manly have again named Brett Stewart to return from a hamstring for the third week in a row, with youngster Will Hopoate on the wing and Michael Oldfield on an extended bench for the match trip to Townsville to face North Queensland.

Penrith coach Matt Elliott - told on Tuesday he was not required by the Panthers beyond this season - named Timana Tahu in the starting line-up for Sunday's match against the Warriors in Auckland.

It will be Tahu's first start since his run-on debut for the club in round three, with he and Michael Jennings to go up against Lewis Brown and Simon Mannering.

St George Illawarra winger Jason Nightingale will cover for the injured Darius Boyd at fullback, with former Wests Tigers winger Peni Tagive to make his Dragons debut on the wing against Parramatta at WIN Jubilee Oval on Sunday.

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