You'd be close to the money if you punted on those changes when the Parramatta team to play North Queensland at Parramatta Stadium on Friday night was announced today.

Broderick who? He's a young back-cum-front-rower who has impressed weekly for Wenworthville in the NSW Cup.

Coach Michael Hagan has been keeping any changes close to his chest, as he did before announcing Jarryd Hayne as fullback on the day of last Friday night's 28-10 loss to Manly.

But it is understood Burt will definitely be back after having been stood down from the Manly game.

The all-positions player was the season's leading points scorer before Friday night.

The only query is whether Burt will return to fullback and Hayne move to the centres, or whether Burt will go straight into the centres.

Reddy will be unlucky. Fullback is his best position, yet he's been Parramatta's most consistent centre this year.

But he can lack defensive anticipation and agility in the centres, and will probably be penalised for some lapses against Manly.

"I'm considering a couple of changes because of the lack of performances,'' is all Hagan would say. Two Hagan decisions are certain.

"Feleti Mateo won't play and is at least another game away,'' said Hagan of the injured five-eighth who has been Parramatta's creative powerhouse this season.

"He will have to be managed carefully,'' he said of centre Ben Smith, who is only a slight chance for a short run off the bench.

The authoratitive centre has missed virtually the entire season with a knee injury and returned with a half of football for Wentworthville last Sunday and pulled up OK.

Smith needs more football and to improve his fitness before being ready for a full gallop.

"We're taking it one game at a time,'' Hagan said of remaining finals speculation, and this time the statement was true.

Parramatta are now three points away from eight-placed Penrith with seven matches left.

Win a miraculous seven from seven and they're there for sure, but no one's expecting that anymore. Just about everyone has finally written them off, which will take some pressure off.

Hagan's former coach and the man he would be assistant to before succeeding at Newcastle, Warren Ryan, once took Balmain to successive grand finals and a finals series before being sacked for Alan Jones.

"The lemon was squeezed dry,'' he said of the Tigers' subsequent fall.

After all the analyses and blame-laying, the simple reality might be that the Parramatta lemon has been squeezed dry and it's time to nurture a new crop.