NRL Finals 2021: How ignoring fullback Tom Trbojevic just might turn Manly into a true contender
Manly must stop relying on an element of its game if it is to rebound from this year’s preliminary final exit and seriously challenge for next year’s title.
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Manly must stop relying on the brilliance of Tom Trbojevic if they are to rebound from this year’s preliminary final exit and seriously challenge for next year’s title.
That’s the opinion of veteran five-eighth Kieran Foran, who conceded the Sea Eagles have too often been bailed out by their superstar fullback.
Trbojevic produced one of the best individual seasons in recent memory this year, scoring 28 tries, tallying 28 try assists, 36 line break assists and 33 linebreaks.
But his historic run into September was eventually brought undone by South Sydney, extending Manly’s record against top four opposition to a telling 0-7.
Their reliance on Trbojevic prompted Foran to admit the team will need to come up with other ways to grind their way to victory.
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“I think he has had an incredible year and we have become pretty accustomed to him bailing us out of trouble in a lot of games,” Foran said after losing Friday night’s preliminary final 36-16 to the Rabbitohs at Suncorp Stadium.
“That will be something we’ll look at heading into next year, you can’t be so reliant on one player to pull you out of trouble every week.
“In saying that, there have been some really great performers throughout the year that have stood up and grown as well. It’s a collective learning in terms of where we want to get to as a footy side.”
Hasler’s other big challenge in the pre-season will be to work on his side’s ability to find consistency in their performances.
Foran said the gap between Manly’s good and bad performances was still too wide, a weakness that was brought to the fore against South Sydney.
“We tend to be either really good or quite off and that will be the work heading into next year,” Foran said.
“They started with a bit more venom than what we had and we were on the back foot for most of that first half. That’s a learning for us, not compounding errors when they are in a (good) position.
“We’ve been good in patches and had the occasional bad game … that was one tonight. When we needed it most and when we needed to be on we had one of those low performances.
“We can’t afford to have them.”
While the Sea Eagles were left to rue an opportunity lost, playmaker turned supersub Dylan Walker likened Manly to his time at Redfern, where the 26-year old won a title in 2014.
The former Kangaroo believes Manly is on the precipice of achieving the same feat.
“The way a lot of the players have had that (breakout) season, I remember when I was coming through Souths I was the young bloke and there were the older guys like Greg Inglis, John Sutton and Sam Burgess … it’s similar traits I have seen (at Manly). Younger blokes building their game … I think the window is wide open,” Walker said.
“You have Tom playing the best football of his career, Chez (Cherry Evans), Kieran (Foran) and Jake (Trbojevic) are still playing outstanding.
“It’s there, we just need to iron out a few things in our game and we’re a chance in the next few years, next year even.
“As much as it hurts, I think it’s a great experience for everyone in the team.”
Manly are likely to start the 2022 season with forward Josh Aloiai, who is facing at least three weeks on the sideline for a grade two dangerous throw on Mark Nicholls.
Referee ‘did not see’ Keppie stumbling
— Michael Carayannis
The NRL says referee Ashley Klein did not see a stumbling Sean Keppie after the Manly forward was clearly concussed in the opening exchanges on Friday night.
Keppie was struggling to find his feet after tackling Mark Nicholls. He almost collided with South Sydney’s hooker Damien Cook as the Sea Eagles forward attempted to stand.
Keppie eventually found his spot in the defensive line as South Sydney attacked. NRL head of football Graham Annesley said Klein was unaware Keppie was hurt.
“It‘s no more complicated than the referee didn’t notice the injury until a touch judge requested him to stop the game,” Annesley said. “The referee had to ask the touch judge which player they were stopping for”.
The match was eventually stopped when the Rabbitohs forced a goal line drop out. Keppie did not return.
Fox League commentator Greg Alexander said during play he “thought the game was going to be stopped there”.
The drama came just a week after Klein was in the spotlight for stopping play during Parramatta and Penrith for an injured Mitch Kenny. The Eels were deep on the attack when the Panthers called for play to be halted. As per the rules, Klein correctly stop play. Penrith are contesting their $25,000 fine and suspension to trainer Pete Green who was banned for the rest of the year.
The NRL are considering allowing the orange shirt medical trainer to wear an ear piece with a direct link to medical staff.
Meanwhile, Manly prop Josh Aloiai is set miss the start of the 2022 season after he was charged by the match review committee.
Aloiai is facing up to four weeks on the sidelines for a grade two dangerous throw on Mark Nicholls in the 68th minute. Aloiai will be suspended for three weeks if he takes the early plea.
How Hasler breathed life into Walker resurrection
— Fatima Kdouh
Dylan Walker has credited coach Des Hasler for his surprise transformation into a supersub that is likely to result in a two-year contract extension at the club.
Walker, who has been linked with a move to the Wests Tigers, began the season at fullback before emerging as a strong X-factor off the bench as the side surged into the finals.
And while he delayed making a final decision on his future, the former Kangaroos representative is hopeful of staying at the club he loves.
“I held it all off … I wanted to focus on the finals series. I didn’t want it to be dragged out and played in the media. I have to make a decision soon or I won’t be paid,” Walker said.
“I’ll make a decision in the next few weeks. I love it here. Hopefully that gets sorted soon and move forward with it.”
His re-signing would come two years after Walker was found not guilty of domestic charges against his partner.
Last year, Walker was also involved in an incident outside a pizza shop on the northern beaches.
Walker pleaded guilty to one count of common assault against a worker at the shop and was given an 18-month conditional release order.
Hasler was the first person Walker called after he was arrested in relation to the incident.
His relationship with the coach is a huge factor in wanting to remain at the Sea Eagles.
“Des has been very patient with me, Des is awesome for me,” Walker said.
“We understand each other quite a bit and he’s been there to help. At the same time I have to make the best decision for me and my family.
“When I became a dad I said I would put them first. My partner has put me first, coming up here [to Queensland].”
Walker also credited the support of his partner for helping him to tackle the demons that have plagued him in recent years.
“Over the last few years haven’t been the brightest parts of my life,” Walker conceded.
“It has been good learning about myself, stripping it all back, it can be very vulnerable and scary.
“Looking back at the past is a lot of hard work. I’ve had a good partner that has supported me.
“The more I stripped back, the more vulnerable I was … I’ve had good support around me at the club, Dessie and my partner. I’ve been learning about myself, triggers and what not.”
On the field, since returning from a hamstring injury in round 14, Walker has found a new home in the no. 14 jumper after spending most of his career alternating between centre and five-eighth and the occasional role at fullback.
“Morgan Harper and Brad Parker were playing really good football in the centres and that’s where I was training in the off season. I didn’t think I could lob straight back into the side after injuries when they were winning games,” Walker said.
“The 14 was thrown to me, I pushed Des to be a ball playing middle … we didn’t know what we were going to do my first game back.
“I found a bit of a position for me in the middle there. I’ve really fallen in love with the game in [that position]. I like to be on the ball, being around the action, the ball … it suits me, it brings out the competitive side in me.”
Veteran playmaker Kieran Foran has encouraged the club to do whatever it takes to get the deal done and to keep Walker on the northern beaches next year and beyond.
“He’s huge. He’s such an important leader in this side as well,” Foran said.
“He’s won a premiership and is a bloke who has been around for a long, long time.
“He’s been an elite player for a long time as well. You can’t easily replicate that.
“In my opinion, he brings so much into the footy side and the way he has evolved his game this year … he’s become an important cog in that middle part of the field for us.
“He was electric in the last few weeks. With the way the game has gone it has suited him as well.
“I’m sure Manly will be sorting that out, making sure he stays on.”
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Originally published as NRL Finals 2021: How ignoring fullback Tom Trbojevic just might turn Manly into a true contender
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