Losses, not injuries hurting Manly most

It’s not Manly’s massive injury toll eating away at the confidence of the NRL club so much as three uncharacteristic losses in the opening four rounds.

That’s star halfback Daly Cherry-Evans’ assessment of the injury-hit and out-of-form Sea Eagles’ first month of the 2015 premiership.

Manly are 1-3 after losses to Parramatta, Canterbury and St George Illawarra and a win over Melbourne.

Of just as much concern is their horror injury toll which has Brenton Lawrence (back), Feleti Mateo (ankle), Josh Starling (knee) Jorge Taufua (knee), Clinton Gutherson (knee), Tony Satini (shoulder) and Blake Leary (back) all sidelined for Saturday night’s match against Canberra in Albury.

Skipper Jamie Lyon (groin), Steve Matai (shoulder) and Willie Mason (virus) are also in doubt.

The situation has the perennial finalists on the back foot.

“The injuries don’t really affect the mood in the side, it is more the losses, so if we can just keep training hard and have each other’s back out on the field I’m sure things will change,” Cherry-Evans said at training on Tuesday.

“We need to make that happen, each of us, not wait for someone else to do it for us.

“It’s unfamiliar but it is a test for us older guys that have been here for a while.

“It is something we need to make sure we strive to change, and change quickly, which I’m sure we are capable of.”

Manly’s 2014 premiership tilt was cruelled by injuries to Glenn Stewart, Jamie Buhrer and Matt Ballin that struck hard at established combinations within the team.

Cherry-Evans conceded Manly were in a similar situation to start 2015.

“We understand we are in a tough predicament, only winning one game in the first four rounds,” he said.

“But with that being said, we have had a lot of injuries which is a concern.

“But after the way we finished last year with the injuries that bundled us out of the finals, I would much prefer to have them now and have a full strength side to fight for a finals spot and get through that finals series with a full 17.

“Obviously the lack of combinations has made things difficult to build any continuity within the side.

“But if we can get through this period and get back to our winning ways I’m sure we will be fine at the business end of the season.”

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