Kieran Foran signs one-year deal with Manly Sea Eagles
Kieran Foran will make a stunning return to Brookvale in 2021, signing a short-term deal with the club – but it’s how Sea Eagles coach Des Hasler plans to deploy the playmaker that will surprise many.
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Foz is back at Brookie.
Manly has formally confirmed Bulldogs star Kieran Foran has rejoined the club on a one-year deal from next season.
It is a remarkable return for a player who helped guide Manly to their last premiership victory back in 2011.
Foran, 30, will be used as either a five-eighth or dummy half.
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In a club statement Foran said: “I am very excited about the opportunity to return to the Sea Eagles, a club that I hold close to my heart and have some great memories of.
“I’m looking forward to playing under Des (Hasler, coach) once more as well as being part of a very talented playing squad at Manly. I can’t wait to pull on the maroon and white jersey again.”
The decision will allow Foran to reunite with his former grand final winning halves partner, Daly Cherry-Evans.
Foran has endured a horror run of injuries over several seasons while at Parramatta, New Zealand and Canterbury.
He played 147 games for Manly before leaving in 2015. He has now played 213 NRL matches.
“Kieran has done it all in the game from winning premierships to playing Test football for New Zealand. He has played more than 200 NRL games so his experience is well documented,’’ Hasler said.
“His knowledge of the game will be invaluable to all players in our squad.”
FORAN THE DUMMY HALF?
Manly coach Des Hasler confirmed Kieran Foran will be in contention to fill the club’s vacancy at dummy half.
“He will bring depth and some versatility. That’s something we can really use. Plus experience, he certainly brings that to the fore,” Hasler said.
“They’re now happy with the terms, but there’s still a few things we need to tidy up and finalise.”
Foran has struggled with injuries in the five years since he left Manly, but Hasler said he would have no hesitation following through with his plan to play the Kiwi Test star as a dummy half.
“Kieran is just a footballer. One of the strong parts of the game is his versatility, his ability to adapt, so it’s a real focus for bringing him back to fill that nine role,” Hasler said.
“He’s held up OK, he’s played 14 or 15 games this year, but injury is something you always roll the dice with.
“I guess (the comeback) is part of the narrative and part of the story. But he’s a good footballer.”
Manly are low on options at hooker with Manase Fainu still sideline due to the NRL’s no-fault stand down policy and Danny Levi exiting at the end of the season.
Foran has played 211 of his 213 NRL games in the halves, as well as one at centre and one off the bench.
Hasler denied rumours impressive youngster Josh Schuster would seek a release if Foran re joined the club.
A talented five-eighth who made his NRL debut against the Tigers, 20-year old Schuster is rated as one of Manly’s best prospects.
“No, that was just a bit of a media beat up,” Hasler said.
“He’s developing nicely and when you think of the players that are here, the mentorship is quite beneficial as he continues his development.
“He played really strongly against the Tigers and he’s one we can certainly keep playing and developing.”
MANLY’S GREATEST STRENGTH IS THEIR GREATEST WEAKNESS
They simply cannot win without him – and there’s irrefutable proof.
And now Manly’s on-field failure without Tom Trbojevic has club legend Max Krilich demanding the champion fullback boycott this year’s State of Origin series.
After the Sea Eagles faded from finals contention this season, injuries have highlighted a lack of depth in the playing roster and a horribly unbalanced salary cap which has the club facing an uphill battle to challenge for top-four honours in 2021.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal Manly, over the past three seasons, have won just eight of their 28 games with Trbojevic unavailable. A miserable 28.6% win ratio.
With Trbojevic in their line-up, the Sea Eagles win 21 of their 41 games for a success rate of 51.2%.
When Trbojevic collapsed in round six, so did Manly. It would be difficult to find another player whose team relies so heavily on the availability of just one player.
The hamstring injury to Trbojevic, still only 23, was a gut-wrenching reason why Manly bombed out this year.
He wasn’t the only significant injury, however.
Throughout the year, Addin Fonua-Blake (knee), Reuben Garrick (shoulder), Dylan Walker (foot), Manase Fainu (stood down/shoulder), Josh Schuster (ankle), Cade Cust (ankle), Jorge Taufua (Achilles), Joel Thompson (ankle), Brendan Elliot (knee) and Moses Suli (foot) all missed parts of the season.
Manly aren’t using their bulging casualty ward as an excuse for their horrible season. But it certainly is a legitimate reason why they went from top-four contender to also-ran in a matter of weeks. Former Manly premiership-winning captain Max Krilich is adamant Trbojevic should withdraw from State of Origin.
“Manly pay him a huge amount of money and I think he has to put his loyalties to the club first,” Krilich said. “He has to worry about getting ready for next year and not worry about State of Origin.
“He earns his livelihood through Manly – not through NSW. It’s as simple as that. He has to put his priorities first and those priorities should be with Manly.
“When he doesn’t play, clearly Manly struggles. He is a terrific player, I won’t say he’s a superstar but he’s a very good player and we need him on the field if we are to be a success next season. Manly needs him 100 per cent fit.
“We can’t afford him to go down again. It stuffs our salary cap. We have to make sure he’s fit and gets his hamstrings and body right and we can move ahead to next year.”
NRL physio Brien Seeney has predicted Trbojevic should make a full recovery for next season.
“The hamstring is the most commonly strained muscle in the NRL and it has the highest recurrence rate as well, up to 30 per cent,” Seeney said.
“So we’re not looking at a case where this is a shock and we can’t believe he has suffered three hamstring strains because there are plenty of players throughout the game who will suffer multiple strains in their careers within a short period of time.
“If he works hard on it over the off-season then the chances of him getting through are quite good. The re-injury risk would still be increased because he does have a history.
“Usually, the best-case scenario is about a 10 per cent chance of re-injury. That is what they would be aiming for. As long as he gets through the off-season and doesn’t suffer any re-strains or re-aggravation then his prospects are pretty good moving forward.”
THE ROSTER
Manly’s forward power will be severely depleted through the departures of seasoned first graders Addin Fonua-Blake (New Zealand Warriors) and Joel Thompson (St Helens).
The Sea Eagles have some fine young forwards emerging in Sean Keppie, Taniela Paseka, Haumole Olakau’atu and Toafofoa Sipley. It’s time to promote rather than recruit
And Manly’s ability to recruit a big name is slim given more than $3 million of their cap has been spent on the Trbojevic brothers and Daly Cherry-Evans.
Manly could benefit from a strike winger or centre. The club will also be looking to either buy or manufacture a hooker for 2021. Kieran Foran’s expected recruitment will give Manly some class and experience.
THE MOMENT ALL HOPE WAS LOST
Round six, Manly v Canberra, Campbelltown Stadium. Turbo collapses. The Sea Eagles have won just three games since then. Say no more.
THE COACH
During phone conversations, Des Hasler would sigh in disbelief at his injury toll.
“It keeps getting worse every week,” Hasler would say.
It has placed Hasler under pressure and exposed a lack of depth in their roster. Manly have also been accused of being too top heavy in their salary cap.
“Everyone said early in the season that we would lack depth which was right in the end. We’re not like the Roosters and some of these other clubs that have enormous depth
“The club does have a lot of young kids coming through which is really going to help our future,” Krilich said.
THE STATS
Manly average just 18.3 points per game in 2020 and are on track for their worst regular season average since 1992 (15.2 per game). In the NRL era (1998-2020) they have finished the regular season averaging fewer than 20 points on just three occasions – 18.9 in 2016, 19.1 in 2015 and 18.9 in 1999.
The Sea Eagles have conceded 20 points or more in eight straight matches; they have only conceded more on one occasion since 1998, in 2003/04 (18 matches).
SHINING LIGHT
Cherry-Evans and prop Marty Taupau put in every week. He copped a lot of traffic this year but Cherry-Evans played tough.
Taupau ripped in most weeks but couldn’t muster enough power from teammates to support him.
KEY TARGETS
There has been speculation Manly may make a play for Brisbane powerhouse Tevita Pangai Jr. He would be a superb replacement for Fonua-Blake.
There has also been talk linking Manly to Sitili Tupouniua but the Sydney Roosters star has another year remaining at Bondi and the defending premiers are intent on retaining him.
THE FUTURE
Manly were tipped to be a premiership contender this year – but the season crashed and burned.
Fans are willing to forgive one poor season but the pressure will be on for success next year.
It’s difficult seeing Manly as a top-four threat, though, but the wily old Hasler has always enjoyed shocking critics.
“This season was awful,” Krilich said. “I think we are too top-heavy with half a dozen players in terms of payments. That negates our last 20 players and it showed.”
DREAM 17 FOR 2021
1 Tom Trbojevic
2 Tevita Funa
3 Moses Suli
4 Dylan Walker
5 Reuben Garrick
6 Kieran Foran
7 Daly Cherry-Evans
8 Taniela Paseka
9 Manase Fainu
10 Martin Taupau
11 Jack Gosiewski
12 Curtis Sironen
13 Jake Trbojevic
Interchange
14 Albert Hopoate
15 Josh Schuster
16 Sean Keppie
17 Haumole Olakau’atu
Originally published as Kieran Foran signs one-year deal with Manly Sea Eagles