Coaching his beloved Manly is more than just a job for Geoff Toovey and the former Sea Eagles veteran says it is the tight-knit nature of his playing group that can take them to back-to-back NRL premierships.
First-year mentor Toovey succeeded Hasler as Manly coach in controversial circumstances ahead of the 2012 season.
But despite his lack of experience, the 1996 premiership winner has his team producing their best form of the season at exactly the right time.
And Toovey puts it all down to the Sea Eagles brotherhood.
“I love the club. It has been such a big part of my life for a long, long time and it is a place I am very passionate about,” Toovey said.
“I love being a part of what we are doing here. Coaching Manly is more than just a job for me and the players feel the same way. We are a tight- knit group and we all love the place.”
Manly’s charge to the finals has been buoyed by the re-signing of Brett Stewart.
In committing to the club for three more seasons, the NSW fullback declared: “I never wanted to go anywhere else. Manly are too close to my heart”.
It is such shared sentiment that runs deep at Manly and is driving them towards the chance of becoming the first team since Brisbane in 1992-93 to win back-to-back premierships.
“A lot of players have been here for quite a while, Anthony Watmough, Jason King … and they love it here. And I think Brett Stewart re-signing shows just that as well,” Toovey said.
“We are a tight-knit group, we all enjoy being together, we all enjoy playing together and from that comes a lot of belief in the club and what we are capable of.”