NRL 2020: Who will play hooker for Manly Sea Eagles? Can Edwin Ipape can replace Manase Fainu?

The answer to Manly’s hooking emergency may have arrived in the form of an unheralded youngster with no NRL experience. He’s already won over the NRL club’s coaching staff.

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Meet the Papua New Guinea-born speedster who is set to save Manly in the midst of the club’s hooker crisis.

Utility Edwin Ipape has received a trial at the Sea Eagles after starring in PNG’s stunning win over Great Britain last November with a scintillating solo try.

Manly coach Des Hasler was so impressed with Ipape’s speed in the Kumuls’ shock win over the Lions that he has invited him to train this summer.

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Edwin Ipape has already caught the eye of fans with starring displays for Papua New Guinea. Picture: Getty

According to Sea Eagles insiders, the 20-year-old has excelled in training with his application and willingness to learn.

Ipape is shaping as the perfect replacement for Manase Fainu, who is suspended under the NRL’s ‘no-fault’ stand-down policy after being hit with three charges relating to a stabbing.

Fainu is also battling a shoulder injury, which could sideline him for weeks.

Legendary Manly hooker Max Krilich believes this could open the door for Ipape to make his NRL debut, only a year after playing his football in PNG with local team, the Lae Snax Tigers.

One of Manly’s all-time great players, Max Krilich, is already a fan.

“He is a work in progress, like a lot of those young guys coming out of Papua New Guinea at the moment, but under Des’s tutelage I think he will go very well,” said Krilich, who played 215 games for Manly between 1970-83.

“He is obviously a talent given he has played for PNG, so hopefully he will come through now.

“It is a big step playing week-in and week-out NRL. Some kids can handle it, and other kids can’t, but he will get the coaching from Des and he won’t be thrown to the wolves.

“I’ve got a wrap on him though. I watched him play a number of games last season, including that try he scored for PNG.

“There are a lot of good players coming through from Papua New Guinea and hopefully he can be another one. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

Regular hooker Manase Fainu is currently suspended under the NRL’s ‘no-fault’ stand-down policy. Picture: AAP

Krilich is particularly impressed with Ipape’s quickness out of dummy half.

He believes the PNG star’s pace will be the key to him succeeding in the NRL long-term.

“You are blessed if you have speed,” he said about Ipape, who played last season for Wynnum Manly in the Queensland Cup.

“All the good teams have a quality dummy half. Look at the Roosters, Melbourne and Canberra.

“They all have fantastic dummy halves.”

Manly defied the critics last season to finish in sixth position after the regular season before bowing out in the semi-finals.

Krilich expects the Sea Eagles to continue their rise in 2020 under Hasler.

“I can see them jumping up a few more spots this year and in a few years’ time we can compete for a premiership,” he said.

“Des did a great job with the side last season, so they can do it again.”

Originally published as NRL 2020: Who will play hooker for Manly Sea Eagles? Can Edwin Ipape can replace Manase Fainu?