The Manly Sea Eagles are showcasing their talent under interim coach Kieran Foran, but a new issue has surfaced: how do they navigate their fullback situation?
Foran surprised many by choosing Clayton Faulalo to wear the fullback jersey against the Broncos two weeks ago, especially considering Tolutau Koula's impressive form and Lehi Hopoate's experience from the previous season.
Since taking on the role, Faulalo has made a significant impact, demonstrating Manly's strength in squad depth with a fourth-string fullback option until Tom Trbojevic returns.
Historically, Manly has faced challenges when Trbojevic is sidelined due to injuries. However, they currently sit in the top four, buoyed by a gritty 12-10 victory against the Gold Coast Titans, where Faulalo played a key role.
When Trbojevic is fit, he will likely reclaim his position at fullback, but Faulalo's recent back-to-back standout performances make him difficult to overlook.
"Obviously, we're missing some personnel, but we've got a lot of depth and belief in the younger guys that jumped in the squad tonight, and it takes an entire club to get through a season."
"So, ugly win tonight, but we'll take the two points and take the learnings."
Foran's bold choice of Faulalo serves as strong evidence of his readiness for the full-time head coaching role, with the 25-year-old being the standout player in the recent clashes against the Tigers and Titans.
"He's been unbelievable, Clayton, with his performances over the past month. He's been near the best player on the field along with plenty of others," Foran stated in the post-match press conference.