IN the final round of last season's premiership, Manly coach Geoff Toovey quietly lit the fire in the belly of two local juniors with enormous futures.
An hour before kick-off, speedster
Clint Gutherson and front row giant Jake Trbojevic were ushered into the top side for their NRL debuts against Penrith. Manly might have lost the match, but Toovey's move to blood the duo is likely to return long-time dividends.
The Australian Schoolboys have spent the summer training with the scent of the big time in their nostrils.
Although both are still eligible for NYC, Toovey intends to test them against older bodies in the NSW Cup to better brace them for a second taste of first grade at some stage in 2014.
Gutherson will be head of the queue to deputise should one of Manly's backs succumb to injury, given he's starred at fullback, wing and centre at junior level. As a prop, 19-year-old Trbojevic needs to be developed more carefully but is likely to get a chance with Manly's front row stocks diminished after the loss of five experienced bookends from last year.
JOSH MASSOUD
The Sunday Telegraph
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/clint-gutherson-and-jake-trbojevic-are-part-of-geoff-tooveys-long-term-plan/story-fni3gnk1-1226821374031