And out of no where, there it is. Like a flicker of light at the end of a dark, Omicron-infused summer, there is hope.
In the distance, someone strums a guitar. The tune becomes clear. It’s the Hoodoo Gurus. “That’s my team” baby.
Overhead, in the bright blue sky, the rugby league gods look over us and smile. Rest In Peace, Johnny Raper. The original Immortals are back together again.
And on ground, the 2022 NRL season is almost here. Almost.
In this year’s competition, a potential future immortal will likely have a sizeable say in who goes all the way. Indeed, it’s not unreasonable to suspect that Tom Trbojevic will be singing a victory song at the end of the first Sunday in October.
Manly are primed.
Looking at their rivals, some of the big hitters in 2021 have arguably gone backwards.
Souths have lost their coach and their captain.
Melbourne have lost their co-captain and the best winger in the game (although they never really seem to be affected by player departures, do they?) but they remain one of the greatest sporting organisations in the country.
Penrith will find it hard to go back to back. Only the Roosters have done it in the NRL era. That’s not to say Penrith can’t do it, but it will be tough.
The Roosters will get better, provided they avoid the wretched injury run they experienced last season.
In Luke Keary and Sam Walker, they may just have the best halves pairing in the game.
And then of course, there’s James Tedesco.
(Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)
Their front row is a concern however, with both Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Sio Siua Taukieaho nearing the end of their careers. The return of Lindsey Collins will help, but he, like Keary, is coming back from an ACL injury. It will take the big Queenslander time to get back into the swing of things in the rough tumble of the NRL front row.
Parra? They’re missing something. Not quite sure what, but something.
Speaking of missing something, last season Manly lacked defensive resolve in the big games. This was vividly noticeable in two key finals matches against the Storm and the Rabbitohs. The best way to improve a team’s defence, however, is to keep the band together and build combinations over time.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and with another full off-season under their belt and no key losses of personnel, you can be sure Des Hasler has done everything he can to get the Manly defensive organism singing from the same hymn sheet.
They say defence wins premierships, and it does. Penrith won last year’s premiership on the back of a brilliant effort without the ball in the semi-final, prelim final and the Big Dance. But you don’t just win a premiership by tackling. You need a sprinkling of superstars – particularly in the spine – and having Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai certainly helped the Panthers there too.
On the Northern Beaches, the Sea Eagles have a certain 6 foot 4 freak of nature who can win professional rugby league games on his own.
Sure, I can hear you already: “Where was he against Melbourne and Souths?”
Fair point, they shut him down. When they shut him down, they shut Manly down. But that was then. This is now.
Last year, Manly even getting into the top four was nothing short of a miracle. A miracle down largely to Tom Trbojevic of course, but a miracle nonetheless.
At the start of the season, they didn’t know their left hand from their right. The two starting back rowers against the Roosters in Round 1 are no longer at the club. Jake Trbojevic spent some of that game at hooker. Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran played like a halves pairing who hadn’t played together in six years.
(Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)
But slowly, as the season progressed, they got better. Played more like a team. Yes, a team that was heavily influenced by one player, but a team all the same.
Josh Schuster and Haumole Olakau’atu became one of the best back row pairings in the game. And their combined age is about 40.
Jason Saab and Reuben Garrick became one of the best wing pairings in the game. They’re not much older.
In the middle, Sean Keppie took the leap from fringe first grader to hard-nosed NRL front rower. Meanwhile, the evergreen Marty Taupau kept on keeping on and Taniela Paseka inched closer to his limitless potential.
Josh Aloiai was good in patches (perhaps when he played as “Oshay Olay”), but Hasler will no doubt be expecting more consistency from the front rower in 2022. Jake Trbojevic did what he does, and while he may have lost an inch of attacking impetus in the last year or so, you can be sure Manly wouldn’t trade him for anyone.
For those who steer the ship, this is highly likely to be Foran and DCE’s last dance. One of the game’s great modern halves pairings. They won a comp in their first season together, they can do it again in what is probably their last.
Lachlan Croker was another who continued to improve as the year wore on in 2021, and with more time to work with and understand his key players, he’ll be even better in 2022.
Out wider, watch out for young Tolu Koula. He may not play Round 1, but when he does, you’ll know. He’s quicker than Jason Saab.
And then there’s Tommy Turbo. The legend. One of the best players of all time. To achieve immortality, though, he will likely need to win at least one premiership. That will happen this year.
With a checkered injury history, fans will be rightfully dubious as to whether he can stay on the park for the duration of the season. This is especially pertinent when you consider his inevitable (and likely series-winning) contribution to the NSW State of Origin team.
But Tom Trbojevic is a champion. A modern great. He will find a way. And at the end of that way will be a premiership.
On the last Sunday of October, Tommy and the boys will be doing the Eagle Rock.
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
1, fullback is a gun but only good for half a season plus will play origin, 15 games ? 6. dads army 7, can not be half and hooker, and will miss 3 games with origin 9, ???? James Segeyaro ????
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
No Turbo - No Chance
kramer1
Roar Rookie
Manly are a definite contender. However, unlike the Storm who seem able to maintain a consistent level of performance no matter who is in the team, Manly will need their best players to perform consistently well and to escape injury that keeps them out for any length of time. Their opponents will have been working out ways to minimise Tom's effectiveness, in much the way the Storm did, and they will need Kieran Foran to replicate the way he played last season. Harper's defence is suspect and, whilst Lachlan Croker has been tremendous at hooker, it's uncertain if this is the right position for him. They could definitely be there at the end of the season, but a lot will have to go right for them. For what it's worth (admittedly, it's not worth much), I'm predicting a Sea Eagles v Roosters grand final.
Dionysus
Guest
Agree, Its a big ask to expect Turbo alone to get them to and win them a GF. He did marvellously last year but even supreme athletes can only perform at their peak for a relatively short period.
Dionysus
Guest
Think they will be top 8 for sure but win it ? Keep your money in your pocket is my advice.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
Don’t worry too much, EJ, the Cows won a premiership with Kane Linnett in the centres so there is hope.
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Yeah definitely the centre pairing & hooker are the clubs weak spots. Personally I’d like to see Walker at centre again. But he seems destined to fill that 14 jersey as he adds a POD when coming on. No doubt Des will be watching him closely on Saturday night.
Haz
Guest
I'm with you. This year I'm daring to dream. Watched a replay of 2008. I feel like Foran is going to have a Menzies year--a club legend starts the year starting, and finishes on the bench, making way for Schuster in the halves. Having a power-running second row on the left with Schuster ball-playing gives the left edge even more balance. Dylan Walker is bulking up. I think he has an even better year off the bench as 14. And like you say, the consistency is there in the roster. Most of the major talent has already been re-signed to 2023 or beyond. No major contract negotiations to distract this year.
criag
Roar Rookie
Good on you, mate. When Manly are strong, rugby league is strong! There's no reason they shouldn't be contenders (unless Tommy Turbo gets injured, in which case....).
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
Will Parker and Harper be their centres? That's a pretty poor midfield.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
If a team is ''nowhere against the top teams'' why do so many think that is set in stone? Last season the Bunnies were worse than ''nowhere'' against the top two teams earlier in the season, try 50 points x 2. It went from ''nowhere'' to a win and a close loss against the same teams in the same season and a GF appearance.
Robert
Guest
Manly will struggle They were nowhere against good sides and the reliance on Tom Trbojevic is over the top. As good as he is the number one player I would pick for a side is Nathan Cleary. With no disrespect against Tom who I think is an outstanding player the only game NSW lost last year was without Cleary. He makes other players better.He reads and set up plays consistently. I’m prepared to say with continue development remembering he is still only 24 we will be speaking about Cleary the way we speak about Andrew Johns. With Manly the reliance of Tom who is going to stand up. They have a great group of young Harold Matthews coming through but there two still a couple of years away. Will Foran have the same impact of last year can Cherry Evans maintain his consistency and they have a huge issue at hooker. Manly will finish between sixth and eighth
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
The year before Manly won the title in 2008 they had Jamie Lyon and Brent Kite selected for SOO1 and then second choice fullback Brett Stewert for game 2 when Minichello was out. Last season we had Turbo (who won the best player award) Jake (who has been a regular and in contention for best player and DCE who won MOM I recall a couple of series back. Turbo is our best ever performer in SOO and Jake is probably in the top 5. Kite didn't last long and Lyon didn't do very well while Snake did well he only played a few games. Our SOO strength is greater than before and if we go well this season , it could expand. Not only that they are coming from a successful, winning state team. The season DCE won the comp the team was not expected to make the top 8 by many, so whatever is said about the current team doesn't matter that much today, it will count over the next 2 or 3 years.
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
Your right about an improvement in defence, both the Roosters and Storm have proven time and time again that solid defence wins games. How often do you see those teams frustrate the daylights out of the opposition trying to crack their try line, then get the ball and score a length of field try? With T Turbo's speed they can replicate that if they are good enough.
Albo
Roar Rookie
The prediction of a Manly premiership in 2022 is not an outlandish one. They have a solid roster with an experienced coach and a match winner in Turbo. Like all other contenders, there will be a few factors which will determine their chances: 1. A fair run with injuries to their key players ( particularly to their 1 & 7) 2. An improvement in the consistent performances of their pack , especially the young backrowers and their 9. 3. An improvement in the defensive games of their outside backs. All these are quite possible and as an early forecast, I am tipping Manly to make the GF against Penrith . Surprise !
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
I am sure that there will be a substantial improvement in Manly after all Hasler took on a re-building project and he is a good coach. Many factors occur during the year, injuries for one. Not only that we have constant and quite frankly irritating "tweaking and Changing" of rules by the NRL and it is a matter of how well teams adapt to this. The storm have not one back to back, this was achieved by the roosters and Parramatta in the current era. Personally, I will not voice an opinion until after round 6or 7. However Roosters, Storm Penrith & Manly you would have in the top 8 without hesitation and after about 7 games you may be able to fill in the rest of the puzzle. There may be a couple of surprises this yearwhen it comes to finals footy
Andy
Guest
DCE played in a team with lyon, matai, watmough, robertson, and the stewart brothers. 2020 the great manly side without turbo finished 13th. I know the side without turbo has improved but you need more than 1 or 2 origin level players to win a comp.
Jack Byrnes
Roar Guru
Sorry all - meant to say the Roosters have gone back to back. They are also a fine, fine sporting organisation. My bad!
Redcap
Roar Guru
Very well written and entertaining piece, Jack. Tommy Turbo: "one of the best players of all time." Whoa! Hang on there man of feathers. He may well end up in that company - he certainly has the ability - but lets not go nuts. "Penrith will find it hard to go back to back. Only Melbourne have done it..." I assume you meant Easts here.
Paul
Roar Guru
Even a rusted on Dragons fan like me has to admire the passion in this piece. It's great to see a person with so much enthusiasm for their team. If I was a Manly supporter, I'd still be concerned about beating the other contenders. Fair enough, defence can be improved by keeping combinations together for a few seasons, but that supposes the players that are there, are are defensively good enough to keep Manly in the hunt against Penrith, Melbourne and Sydney. The comment was made "Jason Saab and Reuben Garrick became one of the best wing pairings in the game". In attack with Tommy T having the year he did, they were outstanding but in defence? Bear in mind two other points; Tommy has to have another year like 2021 if Manly are to be a chance and that's going to be a really tough act to follow. And 15 other coaches have now had 6 months or more to watch how Manly went about it's business last year. I'd reckon they'll have worked out how to keep Tommy quiet and if that happens, will Manly be able to win enough games to take out a premiership?