Toovey feels secure at struggling Manly

Manly coach Geoff Toovey admits he’s under pressure but insists he feels secure in his job.

Following their disappointing start to the season, in which the side has won just one game, some have questioned Toovey’s future at the NRL club.

The club is battling on several fronts with the poor start compounded by a raft of injuries to key players and concern over the failure to retain star halves Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran.

“There’s always pressure on the coaches. Before a ball was kicked off there was pressure for some reason,” Toovey said on Wednesday.

“That’s the game and the nature of the beast but we’ll handle it, just as the players will handle the pressure on the field.”

When asked if he felt secure in his role, Toovey said: “I always feel secure.”

Manly captain Jamie Lyon (groin) is joined on the sidelines by Brenton Lawrence (back), Feleti Mateo (ankle), Josh Starling (knee) Jorge Taufua (knee) and Clinton Gutherson (knee).

To make matters worse Willie Mason (virus) and Steve Matai (knee and ankle) are in doubt for the side’s clash with Canberra in Albury on Saturday.

Toovey said Mason was expected to improve and take the field while Matai will have to get through fitness tests and contact work with a decision on his availability to be made later in the week.

Toovey said he was frustrated at not being able to train with a full side all year and it was showing in their performance.

“It’s tough, we’ve lost several players for long periods – Josh Starling, Clint Gutherson, Steve Matai has been in and out for a little while and now Jamie Lyon, it looks like he’s out for at least a week or two,” Toovey said.

“It has been tough losing players. I don’t think we’ve completed a game with our full backline intact.”

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