HappilyManly
Journey Man
- 13 Jun 2015
- Manly Daily
- Peter Peters is a board member of the Sea Eagles and Manly Leagues Club
YOUNGSTER’S CHANCE TO LEARN FROM MASTER
JAMIE Lyon’s six-week stint on the sideline with a hamstring injury will thrust Brett Stewart and Tom Trbojevic into vital roles as the Sea Eagles attempt to get off the bottom of the NRL table.
Stewart will captain the side in Lyon’s absence while Trbojevic will get his first taste of a lengthy spell in the NRL on the right wing.
In a few appearances as skipper Stewart has been inspirational and he has struck a rich vein of form in his past three games, scoring four tries and setting up a double for winger Jorge Taufua.
He seems to relish the added responsibility of being captain and is keen to lead the side in Friday’s return to Brookvale Oval against Wests Tigers.
Trbojevic has been biding his time for a spell in the NRL and has shown he is way too good for the under20s Holden Cup competition despite being just 18.
His height and speed will be used to great effect as was evident in the recent game against the Cowboys, where he scored a try and just missed another after an 80m run.
He needs time in the top grade and will benefit greatly by playing with Stewart and watching how he times his entry into the backline.
There is no doubt he is a special talent and he is fortunate to have the Kiwi centre pairing of Steve Matai and Peta Hiku to work with.
The Sea Eagles will enjoy the club’s second bye this weekend before starting the second half of the competition.
It will need to be an all hands on deck effort by the side to ensure the first wooden spoon in Manly’s proud history is avoided.
“No one wants to be part of that,” said young prop Jake Trbojevic, who has been Manly’s best forward in the opening 13 rounds.
CRITICS GET IT WRONG
THE same critics who predicted Daly Cherry-Evans was joining the Titans for sure got it wrong again.
The same crystal balls they were using to predict DCE’s future were suggesting without doubt that coach Geoff Toovey would be shown the door mid-season if the side lost to the Cowboys and the Broncos.
Manly lost both games but Tooves remains in charge. Club management remain perplexed at where the deadline stories came from.
STARS OF THE FUTURE
CHERRY-EVANS will be the Sea Eagles’ sole representative in Wednesday’s State of Origin match at the MCG but club supporters can get an insight into the club’s future with three talented youngsters in the NSW Blues under-18s.
Cade Cust (halfback), Jesse Ramien (centre) and Billy Bainbridge (second row) will be key players for NSW, with all three given the tick of approval by NSW Origin coach Laurie Daley and his key adviser, Manly’s Immortal Bob Fulton.
Fulton is delighted at the selection of the three.
“They represent a bright future for Manly,” he said.
“This elite level is a platform for the NRL and history shows players come through the system year after year.”
Fulton has taken a keen interest in the three in this season’s junior rep season.
Bainbridge has been elevated from Jersey Flegg to Manly’s under-20 side in the past two weeks.