Despite Manly's resurgence under Des Hasler last season which saw the Sea Eagles improve from 15th to sixth, Andrew Johns has cast doubt over the Sea Eagles' chances for the 2020 season.
Manly defied the odds in 2019 during Hasler's first season back at his spiritual home, with the club making an NRL finals push after a lacklustre showing under Trent Barrett's guidance for three seasons from 2016 to 2018.
In Hasler's nine years in charge at Manly, spread over two coaching stints, the Sea Eagles have only twice failed to improve their ladder position on the previous season.
However, the club was held back by a mounting injury toll to big name players last year before finally succumbing to South Sydney in the second week of the finals in a match marred by controversy after Jake Trbojevic's late sin binning played a significant role in the result.
It was nonetheless considered an outstanding season, with Manly winning 14 games despite an overreliance on back-ups due to a difficult run with injuries to big name players.
Tom Trbojevic has overcome hamstring and pectoral injuries which disrupted him last season to be ready to go for the start of the year. His brother Jake is expected to miss the opening two games through a shoulder injury after undergoing surgery in the offseason.
The brothers secured their playing future at the Sea Eagles until at least the end of 2026. Tom reportedly signed for around $1.1 million a season while Jake's deal is reported to be worth just under $1 million.
Even though 'Turbo' will lace the boots for the Sea Eagles' first round clash against Melbourne at Brookvale Oval, Johns holds concerns for the star fullback and the Sea Eagles over the first month of the season.
"They're going to be hard to beat at Brookvale but I'm worried about the injuries especially to Tom Trbojevic," Johns told Wide World of Sports.
"He's been picking up a lot of lower leg injuries, even though he's (also) torn his pec. He'll be back for round one but I'm a bit concerned about the work he's done. Jake Trbojevic who had a shoulder operation in the offseason too.
"So they'll be underdone. They rely on the big fellas rolling forward so I'm a bit worried about Manly over the first six weeks of the season."
While injuries have been significant for the club, Hasler and his front office have been quiet on the recruitment front during the offseason. The only notable signing they've made is former Newcastle and Kiwi rake Danny Levi, who had a bust up with former Knights coach Nathan Brown and was moved on by the club.
The Sea Eagles pounced on Levi, knowing they had a huge gap to fill in the hooker position due to a serious injury to Manase Fainu, who also faces multiple charges in relation to the alleged stabbing of a man at a Mormon church dance in October.
Levi only arrived at Manly to join his new teammates in late January, hampering the Sea Eagles' efforts to have a full preseason with their new rake.
Johns described Levi as a player "with a lot of promise", yet he believes the lack of depth and uncertainty at the hooker position could severely debilitate Manly's attack.
"Newcastle had high hopes for him but never hit the heights we thought he would," Johns said.
"It's a big year for him because he needs to prove himself at a new club. Sometimes that's all you need is a fresh start with fresh ideas but I have my doubts around the hooking position there especially if Manase Fainu doesn't play."
There are also question marks over how well Dylan Walker will mesh with Daly Cherry-Evans in the halves.
Walker was DCE's halves partner at the end of last year, playing the final 10 matches of the season alongside the Maroons star, but the Sea Eagles played just five games with their full first string spine.
That combination of Tom Trbojevic at fullback, Walker at five-eighth, Cherry-Evans at halfback, Koroisau as starting hooker and Fainu off the bench showed immense promise but was never able to bed in properly before the finals due to injuries at different times to all four players.
Now without Korisau at hooker and Fainu out indefinitely, Manly will have to rely on the experience of Walker and Cherry-Evans until Levi becomes used to the style of play that Hasler wants to instil at the club.
Adding to the lack of time spent together on the training paddock, the Sea Eagles have had to prepare for the season without Hasler. The Manly legend had to address chronic knee problems during the offseason, with the influential coach undergoing two knee replacements. That additional challenge hasn't stopped the Manly mentor from cracking the whip.
"Des has been coaching from his hospital bed," Johns said.
"He's had a double knee replacement. So they all went and saw him and he said, 'Don't worry I've got the iPad, I've got the cameras, I'm watching everything you blokes are doing.'
"He's sitting there watching everything, talking to the assistants while keeping an eye on what the players are doing."
from WWOS http://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/nrl-news-manly-season-preview/929e2419-3c42-4c5d-95d7-7c4da809f333
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