Have Manly Finally Fixed Their Right-Edge Problems?

New combination


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Manly hope to have found the tonic to solve their right-edge problems in the form of Curtis Sironen, Daly Cherry-Evans and Dylan Walker.

The Sea Eagles once held the most-feared edge in the competition with Cherry-Evans, Glenn Stewart and Jamie Lyon, but a combination of injuries and departures have seen numerous change there in the past three season.

But after a pre-season which featured back-to-back trial wins over South Sydney and the Sydney Roosters, hopes are high at Narrabeen they can put a difficult two seasons behind them.

The trio have starred in each of the Sea Eagles' trial wins, with the right-side accounting for the majority of the team's tries in the two trial matches.

"We all know what Cherry can do," Walker told AAP.

"Curtis is big strong and he is skilful.

"We're all just going to work together and work on our combinations and get our attack going."

Manly's right-edge was always its strongest point between its golden era of 2005-2014.

However, upon the arrival of Cherry-Evans in 2011, the Sea Eagles never missed the top four and reached two grand finals, winning one, while he, Lyon and Stewart were regularly combining - winning 46 of the 65 games they played together.

"They had those big-name players like that who had those great combinations," Sironen said.

"If we could crack up a combination like those guys had that would obviously be unreal."

Sironen will fulfil the Stewart-type role in the Sea Eagles back row, with the ability to combine his toughness with quick hands.

"Glenn Stewart was an unreal backrower," Sironen said.

"They did all the tough stuff but they played footy too."

Having admitted he needed a change after falling out of favour and into reserve grade at the Wests Tigers last season, Sironen is promising a more disciplined approach to his game this year.

But he says Sea Eagles coach Trent Barrett will still give him the freedom to play a key attacking role on the right edge.

"As long as I knuckle and do all the hard stuff first then my instincts and my footy-playing stuff will come up off the back of that," Sironen said.

Meanwhile, much like Lyon in his younger days, Walker is returning to the centres after a stint in the No.6 jersey.

And the 22-year-old is relishing the opportunity to be back in the outside backs.

"I probably do enjoy it a little bit more," he said.

"I get to roam around and do what I feel like."

Key to it all, and the one common denominator from that combination is Cherry-Evans.

After a difficult 2016, Cherry-Evans has the advantage of Blake Green joining him as a settled half this year, and Sironen said the right-edge would wreap the rewards.

"It's been unreal playing alongside Cherry," Sironen said.

"He's very different to some of the halves I've been playing with. He's super athletic and quick."

- AAP

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25 February 2017




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