Sea Eagles young guns told it’s time to fire up in club’s injury crisis

SEA Eagles backrower Blake Leary says the team’s young brigade need to step up ahead of Monday’s game against the Titans on the Gold Coast.

Blake Leary in action for the Sea Eagles. Picture Gregg Porteous

• Sea Eagles star apologises to coach
• Trent Barrett is the ‘right man’ for Manly

SEA Eagles backrower Blake Leary says the team’s young brigade need to step up ahead of Monday’s game against the Titans on the Gold Coast with the club’s current injury crisis.

The team goes into the game with stars Steve Matai, Daly Cherry-Evans, Brenton Lawrence and Nate Myles all on the sideline.

And over a short space of time the Sea Eagles have farewelled long-time first graders including Anthony Watmough, Glenn Stewart, Brent Kite, Jason King, Kieran Foran and Matt Ballin.

It takes time to replace that amount of first grade experience.

Manly Sea Eagles centre Steve Matai is on the club’s injured list> Picture: Braden Fastier.

And with the heavy injury toll coach Trent Barrett has already used an unprecedented 28 players so far this season.

“We have got a fair few young blokes in the side, but the more they play the more they get used to it and they will be the leaders of the future,” Leary said.

He said that the side still had some old heads like Jamie Lyon and Brett Stewart.

“We can’t just look to the leaders of the team to bring us out of trouble, we’ve got to put our best foot forward too,” Leary said.

“It’s got to be a team effort.

“We just need to get behind them and bring our game as well.”

And he said that subject has been raised among the playing group.

Blake Leary at Sea Eagles training.

“We have discussed that it can’t just be four or five people out on the field that are talking and being leaders, it needs to come from the whole 17,” Leary said.

And despite the current situation in which the club finds itself, he said team morale was still high.

“We believe in each other, it is very unfortunate with the injuries we have had, but we don’t use excuses,” Leary said.

Leary’s words were echoed by young lock Jake Trbojevic.

“We do have a few players out but the blokes who come in have to do a job and we obviously need to rely on them,” he said.