Phil Gould is of the opinion that Manly’s recent downturn in performance cannot be attributed to Daly Cherry-Evans’ announced departure, labelling it a mere “coincidence”.
Following Cherry-Evans’ decision to leave the club, the Sea Eagles have managed to secure victory in just one out of their last four matches.
During their initial clash against the Eels, Tom Trbojevic sustained an injury and has been absent from the lineup ever since.
Gould asserts that this injury is the actual cause of Manly’s decline in form.
Daly Cherry-Evans competing against the Dragons. Getty
“It’s no coincidence that Tom Trbojevic is sidelined; they have consistently struggled in his absence,” he remarked on Nine’s 100% Footy.
“They have struggled to establish their game.”
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Manly’s most recent defeat occurred against the Dragons in a lacklustre encounter on Thursday night.
Both teams struggled to find rhythm in their game, leading Gould to describe the match as a “strange evening of rugby league” during his commentary.
The rugby league expert reinforced his stance.
“I was astonished by the number of basic mistakes made by the Manly Sea Eagles the other night … it was very uncharacteristic of them,” he noted.
“Ultimately, they were defeated by a 90-metre try from Tyrell Sloan. Despite Manly’s poor performance, they almost managed to win.”
“They have not looked like themselves over the past three weeks. While many will point to Cherry-Evans’ decision, I don’t believe that’s the issue. I attribute it more to Trbojevic’s absence.”
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Manly is set to face the Penrith Panthers in their upcoming round eight match this Saturday, with Trbojevic expected to return in round nine.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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