Api Koroisau injured as Manly Sea Eagles win 28-10 over Wests Tigers

It was far from pretty, but the Manly Sea Eagles have eased some pressure on coach Anthony Seibold, while the Tigers’ woes continued with a star player set to miss a week with concussion.

Manly coach Anthony Seibold arrived at 4 Pines Park on Friday night with the rugby league world questioning his future in the NRL, but it was rival Benji Marshall who left Brookvale wondering if the same pressure was building on him.

The Wests Tigers lost for the sixth straight time and could be sitting just one spot from the bottom of the ladder by the end of the weekend after they were trounced by Manly 28-10.

To make matters worse for the Tigers, they lost skipper Api Koroisau late in the game to a category one head injury, while Tallyn Da Silva and Heath Mason were placed on report.

Missing game day scratching Jarome Luai and gun fullback Jahream Bula, the Tigers started a revamped spine that included Mason in the No.1 jersey, Latu Fainu at five-eighth, Koroisau at half and the soon to depart Silva at hooker. There will need to be more changes next week.

Marshall called the Tigers’ showing ‘a step backwards’.

“It’s bit disappointing,” Marshall said.

“Obviously, we’re left in a bit of a scramble with Jerome pulling out this morning and I just thought we didn’t have enough experience in those positions today to get done.

“We got dominated in field position. I thought the last few weeks have been really good. Today was, I reckon, a step backwards.

Marshall believed the late withdrawal of star playmaker Luai, who was in hospital with an infection, and some of the injuries during the game, had a knock on effect for the team’s overall performance.

“I mean, we moved our starting hooker to seven and we moved our bench hooker to start and then we moved our fullback to five eight, and then we moved our bench 14 to fullback and then we had to move Adam (Doueihi) to halfback and move Birdy (Jack Bird) to centre. So, a lot of people playing out of position today.”

Manly were far from brilliant but it was a tradesman like victory for a club – and coach – under pressure following horrible losses to Parramatta, Newcastle and the Gold Coast, in the last five weeks.

Manly celebrate after Jason Saab scored a try against the Wests Tigers. Picture: Getty Images

The Sea Eagles started the game with a new look backline after the much-publicised switch of Tom Trbojevic from fullback into the centres, handing the No.1 jersey to Lehi Hopoate and pushing Reuben Garrick to the wing. It took some time for those changes to take effect.

Less than 24 hours after Penrith and Canterbury combined for a finals-like game of the season, Manly and the Wests Tigers came together to submit their nomination for worst half of the year in the opening 40 minutes.

It took 39 of those 40 minutes before either side troubled the scorer, Jason Saab finally touching down out wide after a Luke Brooks pass helped Tom Trbojevic to the outside of Adam Doueihi and the new Manly centre put Saab over.

It was the first time Manly went to Trbojevic in any sort of attacking shape.

Early in the half Trbojevic was hit in a bone-rattler by Jeral Skelton, losing the ball with Manly in good field position. Such was the ferocity of the tackle, Skelton ended up undergoing a HIA.

Trbojevic played a major hand in the game’s second try just two minutes after the break when he swung to the opposite side of the field, injecting himself into the backline and creating an overlap with Hopoate who put Garrick over.

Four minutes later Tolu Koula went over after Brooks elected to run the ball down the short side on the last tackle.

Trbojevic made a poor defensive read to allow Alex Seyfarth to stroll over to get the Tigers on the board but Manly hit back via Corey Waddell in an almost carbon copy.

Ben Trbojevic and Da Silva both scored late in the game.

Seibold said Manly’s first half defence laid the platform for the win.

“Well, first, I actually thought we put a lot, a fair bit of work into the Tigers and that’s what we spoke about half time, just the amount of work they had to do, the amount of time they had to come off their own line,” Seibold said.

“I think there maybe might have been eight or nine tackle ones for them inside their own 20. So that puts a lot of pressure, fatigue wise, on the team.

“So it’s really good, and (we) probably got some rewards in the second half.”

ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

Most of the attention at Manly over the last few months has centred around Daly Cherry-Evans’ decision to leave the club, Tom Trbojevic’s injuries and form, and more recently the future of coach Anthony Seibold.

Jake Trbojevic has largely escaped much commentary and attention but his ongoing place in the Manly side, or at least the starting team, is the elephant in the room.

Trbojevic has been one of Manly’s greatest ever servants, making 236 appearances in the maroon and white across 13 seasons, captaining his state and representing the Kangaroos. It’s a delectable resume and one topped off by the fact he is universally considered one of the game’s toughest – and best – blokes.

But is that enough anymore? Against the Tigers ‘Jurbo’ was all heart in defence, making 41 tackles, but he was ineffectual in attack, the Fox Sports Lab crediting him with just three runs.

Manly have Fijian international Caleb Navale waiting in the wings, along with the option of starting Jazz Tevaga in the 13 jersey.

DOES HE STAY OR GO

Da Silva arrived at Brookvale for potentially his last game with the Tigers, but with Koroisau set for at least a week on the sidelines following his concussion, the 20-year-old hooker may be sticking around.

Da Silva made his NRL debut at just 18 and is considered a future star of the game, but the Tigers have indicated they will extend Koroisau’s time at Concord and the youngster is not willing to play second fiddle, opting to leave at the end of the season.

Wests Tigers subsequently gave Da Silva permission to talk to rival clubs about a move before Monday’s transfer deadline and the promising rake has had several offers with Parramatta, Newcastle and his opposition tonight, Manly, all a possibility.

ORIGIN WATCH

He didn’t take the field tonight but Jarome Luai’s recovery from infection will be one of Blues’ coach Laurie Daley’s biggest concerns ahead of the decider on July 9. Marshall however revealed post match that he thought Luai would be healthy again in a few days.

Originally published as Api Koroisau injured as Manly Sea Eagles win 28-10 over Wests Tigers