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It has been an absolute horror week for the Manly Sea Eagles. Their 30-point loss to arch rivals the Eels was compounded by superstar halfback Daly Cherry-Evans announcing he is leaving Brookvale next season.
And while it has not been confirmed by the clubs, media outlets are reporting that Kieran Foran has signed for the Eels from 2016 onwards, and Manly are just trying to save face.
It’s hard to believe that in less than 12 months Manly have lost Foran, Cherry-Evans, Glenn Stewart and Anthony Watmough to rival sides.
Manly fans are already threatening to hand in memberships and boycott games, while the pressure is mounting on Geoff Toovey, despite only one game having been played.
Foran also picked up an injury in the game against the Eels and will miss at least a month of footy. DCE has had to endure constant media scrutiny so there’s no guarantee that he will be 100 per cent on his game in the coming weeks either.
Promising outside back Clint Gutherson has suffered a season-ending injury thus robbing the Sea Eagles of a brilliant, versatile backup to the main stars.
It’s too early to write such a champion side off, but Manly couldn’t have imagined a worse start to the season.
It’s almost unconceivable that a Manly side could concede 42 points, let alone to heated rivals Parramatta. Their forward pack look far less imposing in 2015 after the losses of Watmough, Stewart and the retirement of Jason King.
They have been replaced by journeyman Willie Mason, the enigmatic Feleti Mateo, and the solid yet unspectacular Luke Burgess. Meanwhile, Jack Littlejohn will give Manly fans a look into the future as he partners Cherry-Evans in the halves this weekend.
Although it wouldn’t be the end of the world for Manly to lose a second straight game, a loss to the Storm in front of their home crowd would only elevate fan concerns and doubts.
You can’t write off a side that contains the likes of Brett Stewart, Jamie Lyon and Steve Matai, as well as their superstar halves, especially after just 80 minutes of football, but it’s going to have to be a massive turn-around if the Sea Eagles are to continue their amazing run of making the top four.
It’s only Round 2, but even at this early stage it looks beyond them.
That being said, Manly have always thrived under the ‘us versus them’ mentality, and they may look back at this week as nothing more than a blip come the end of the season.
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