Brandon Wakeham will start in the halves for Canterbury in their season opener against Parramatta

Canterbury coach Dean Pay will throw up a few curve balls in his round one team when the Bulldogs face Parramatta on Thursday in the NRL season opener.

WARNING CHECK WITH JAMES SILVER DAILY TELEGRAPH SPORT BEFORE USE – Brandon Wakeham poses for a portrait during a Bulldogs NRL media opportunity at Belmore Oval, Sydney. Picture: Brett Costello

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Bulldogs coach Dean Pay is set to spring a round one selection shock by handing a starting halves spot to local product Brandon Wakeham, who hails from the same junior club as Canterbury legend Terry Lamb.

The 21-year-old is expected to partner Lachie Lewis ahead of the opening match of the NRL season when Canterbury play Parramatta on Thursday.

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Wakeham made his NRL debut last season. Picture by Brett Costello.

Other surprising team selections include;

*Outside back Kerrod Holland to be back-up hooker off the interchange bench.

*New recruits Joe Stimson and Sione Katoa battling to make the round one side.

*Dean Britt to follow in his dad Darren’s footsteps in making his Bulldogs debut.

*Nick Meaney and Jeremy Marshall-King winning the battle to be passed fit to play.

Wakeham and Jack Cogger were in contention to play alongside Lewis after the long-term injury to Kieran Foran but Pay is expected to go with the more flamboyant Wakeham.

The Chester Hill Hornets product made his top-grade debut last year playing three games. He has played as many Tests for Fij

Canterbury will also feature a new-look centre combination with Reimis Smith joining Will Hopoate.

Wakeham played three Tests for Fiji last year. Photo by Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images.

A position where the Bulldogs have certainly, though, is in the No. 1 jersey with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak about to feature in his first full season as the club. He said he is a world away from the problems he faced last year before his mid-season switch from Penrith.

“I had a shocking start to the season,” Watene-Zelezniak said. “I wasn’t enjoying my football. I was really unhappy. Six months before I was captaining my country and was at the peak of my career and then to get where I was six months later it shoots your confidence.

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Watene-Zelezniak is one of Canterbury’s stars. Photo by Tony Feder/Getty Images.

“I got to a club like this and found my joy for the game again. It took me back to when I was a kid and really loving football.

“You can’t put a price on happiness and what it does for your game. Having someone who believes in you (like Pay) and has faith in you as a player is pretty underrated. That’s all you really want. It brought the best out of in me.”

“Dean has brought the best out of me.”

Watene-Zelezniak returned the faith shown by Pay inking a two-year extension with the club in November.

“From day dot, the feelings I got from this club I knew I wanted to stay here,” Watene-Zelezniak said. “It was a no-brainer for me. I’m happy, you can’t put a price on happiness.