‘Very confronting’ injury steels Manly in finals fight
Jasper Bruce |
It was “very confronting” for Corey Waddell to see Jake Trbojevic suffer his third concussion of the NRL season as Manly dedicate their top-eight charge to their fallen spiritual leader.
Former NSW captain Trbojevic will miss Sunday’s crucial clash with Wests Tigers and is no guarantee to face the Dolphins the following week after coming off against Canberra last Friday.
By the end of those two games, the 10th-placed Sea Eagles’ finals hopes could be over, with a loss on Sunday enough to push Manly’s season to the brink if other results fall against them.
Second-rower Waddell, also Trbojevic’s brother-in-law, found it difficult to watch Manly’s most passionate player leave the field with their season evenly poised.
“It’s pretty tough, obviously being on the field watching it happen is very confronting. Jake being my brother-in-law, I care for him so much,” Waddell said.
“I know he’s in good hands. Hopefully we see him back this year. His welfare comes first.”
Waddell said Trbojevic’s absence would “for sure” motivate the Sea Eagles in their top-eight fight.
Few players are more synonymous with their team than the 31-year-old, who has become known for his mid-game rev-ups and loyalty to Manly across 241 games for the club.
“He’s forefront of the motivation for this team. He gets all the boys up,” Waddell said.
“Jake goes out there every weekend and puts his body on the line. He’s there at half-time huddles and kick-off huddles and all that type of thing.
“He puts his heart on his sleeve for this club and he goes out there and puts his body on the line.”
The Sea Eagles appear in a three-way battle for eighth spot with the Dolphins and Sydney Roosters, with the Tigers and St George Illawarra retaining the faintest of hopes as well.
Manly are a win and points differential behind the Dolphins and Roosters, rated by bookmakers as the least likely of that triumvirate to sneak into finals.
For winger Jason Saab, that has been freeing rather than dispiriting.
“No one’s expecting us to make the eight. So all that is is just an opportunity to go and do that. What will be, will be, but it’s just about how we attack it,” he said.
“There’s no pressure, really, at all. No one is counting on us.
“Everyone’s decided to make the conscious decision that we’ve got four weeks left, we’ve got to get four wins. There’s an opportunity presented there.”
AAP
