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Penrith star Nathan Cleary has made no secret of his desire to pepper South Sydney fullback Blake Taaffe with bombs in their NRL finals clash.

Nathan Cleary has vowed to test out rookie South Sydney fullback Blake Taaffe after the youngster was named to replace Latrell Mitchell for their qualifying final.

Bennett on Tuesday handed Taaffe the toughest task imaginable in his sixth NRL game, keeping the faith in him to fill the No.1 jersey after Mitchell's season-ending ban.

Cleary's torpedo bombs have no doubt weighed heavily on Souths' minds this week, after the Penrith halfback terrorised them at the back just three weeks ago in Brisbane.

The Rabbitohs diffused less than half of the aerial assaults Cleary put up in the second half that night, as the NSW No.7 had three of his bombs find grass while two others forced errors.

And that was with Mitchell at fullback, albeit with former Panther Josh Mansour the main man in the firing line on the wing.

Which leaves Taaffe in a far from enviable position.

"It's obviously something to keep an eye on just positionally and trying to put them under a bit of pressure," Cleary said.

"But if we're to do that we have to be getting our go forward right and quick play-the-balls and putting ourselves in positions to put up the kicks I want to.

"A lot of its just with game flow and stuff like that, but yeah definitely always want to test out a fullback, no matter who it is."

Penrith are also far from sold that Taaffe will be the man South Sydney play at the back.

Bennett revealed after Taaffe's first game at the back last weekend since Mitchell's season-ending ban he was still weighing up his options.

The most likely alternative would see Alex Johnston go to the back and Campbell Graham on the wing with Braidon Burns at centre, while Cody Walker could also play fullback with Benji Marshall at five-eighth.

"I'm not sure there's smoke and mirrors there or not, but obviously they've come out said that he (Taaffe) is playing," Penrith co-captain Isaah Yeo said.

"We'll do our due diligence on Taaffe for sure. But I wouldn't be surprised if there was a change there late."

Regardless, Yeo said it would be Penrith's plan to make life hard for whoever is at the back for Souths in Townsville.

"He (Cleary) is probably the best kicker in the competition, him and Adam Reynolds," Yeo said.

"I'd imagine they would both be doing their best and trying to win the field position battle with their kicking games.

"It's nice to have that in the back pocket."