Manly and Kieran Foran in ‘no rush’ to lock in long-term coaching deal despite stunning turnaround

Sea Eagles officials desperately want Foran to succeed, but are remaining patient around their long-term coach.

Foran is a clear favourite, but Manly insists a decision won’t be finalised until mid-season.

The club’s management is absolutely delighted at Manly’s consecutive wins over the Dolphins, St George Illawarra and North Queensland under Foran, who remains unbeaten as an NRL coach.

After sacking Anthony Seibold two years before his contract expired, Manly management is aware that the club must get this decision right.

One source close to Manly said: “It’s still just a little too early to call.

“The club is so proud at how everyone has helped turn things around. Manly’s defence is putting pressure on the opposing team and forcing mistakes.”

Foran seems to have unlocked a Manly side that started the season 0-3 and has impressed the club on and off the field.

Manly officials have observed a squad of players that are now playing for each other and a team that has improved their defence immensely.

But rather than rush into a decision right now over their coach, the club will sit back and watch how the next few weeks unfold.

It is likely the club will name their coach in early June.

Former Parramatta coach and Manly assistant Brad Arthur, Matt Ballin and Michael Ennis have also been mentioned as possible Manly coaches.

Foran, just 35, has revealed a desire to be an NRL career coach.

He said recently that coaching long-term was “something that I am definitely interested in”, but, like the Sea Eagles, claimed he was in “no rush.”

Foran has already dragged the best from forwards Taniela Paseka and Kobe Hetherington.

While unlikely after just three games in charge, Foran may be pursued by rival clubs if success at Brookvale continues.

Foran’s undefeated record goes on the line this Sunday in Manly’s grudge match against Parramatta at Brookvale - their first home game since Seibold’s axing.

The Sea Eagles were brilliant in a 38-6 win over the Cowboys on Thursday night in Townsville. Foran played the 2016 season at Parramatta.

MANLY WIN MARRED BY TURBO INJURY

- Patrick Woods

Manly Warringah has moved into the NRL’s top four with a win against all odds, overcoming an early injury to superstar fullback Tom Trbojevic to beat North Queensland 38-6.

The Cowboys couldn’t have played a worse first half if they tried, coughing up 11 errors and giving up four penalties or set-restarts as the Sea Eagles soared.

Manly coach Kieran Foran said the club would wait for scans to determine the severity of Trbojevic’s injury.

“He’s obviously not looking too good at the moment but we’ll wait until we get a scan on Monday to assess the severity of it,” Foran said.

“But the boys handled it extremely well considering the swapping of positions. Clayton (Faulalo) came on and I thought he did an extremely good job coming on at centre and then Tolu (Koula) pushed back to fullback and he was outstanding.”

Things could have soured early when Trbojevic limped off the field in the 13th minute with a hamstring injury but a first-half Lehi Hopoate double saw the visitors go into the sheds with a 16-point lead.

Whether in response to being hoisted in the headlines all week or just reverting to a game of rocks after a month of diamonds, Cowboys fullback Scott Drinkwater endured a forgettable milestone 150th appearance for the club.

Drinkwater spilt a bomb to gift Hopoate his second try of the game and struggled to make any impact with the ball in attack.

North Queensland was better after halftime after no doubt being lambasted by coach Todd Payten but the staunch Sea Eagles defence held them scoreless for the rest of the contest.

Veteran Manly halfback Jamal Fogarty wound back the clock in a terrific performance, grubbering to himself to set up a late Luke Brooks try while kicking six of his seven attempts at goal.

Payten said his team deserved to be thoroughly beaten after the performance they dished up.

“I thought they were harder at the contest with more energy. Pretty flat performance, I thought, early on and then they compounded that with 42 per cent completion rate in the first half,” Payten said.

“Made 16 errors through the whole game, 11 in our own end, so we got what we deserved.”

TURBO’S HAMSTRING HORROR

The Sea Eagles suffered a huge injury blow when superstar fullback Trbojevic limped off the field in the 13th minute after succumbing to a left hamstring complaint.

Trbojevic was tackled innocuously by Kai O’Donnell and Jason Taumalolo, staying down for an on-field assessment before leaving the field.

No.18 Clayton Faulalo came on to replace Trbojevic with Tolutau Koula moving to fullback, lighting up the field with his speed and footwork – but none of his plays were finer than a trysaving tackle on Braidon Burns to keep the Cowboys at bay.

The bad luck for the Trbojevic family continued with Jake leaving the field for an HIA later in the first half when a cut above his eye was reopened, but he passed and returned to play in the second half.

HOODOO EXTENDED BY COACH OF THE MILLENIUM

The Sea Eagles will continue their reign of terror in North Queensland for at least a decade after their latest triumph in Townsville.

The last time the Cowboys beat Manly in a home game was round 16, 2016, and the men from Sydney’s northern beaches have never lost at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.

Interim coach Kieran Foran’s third win on the trot saw him become the first Manly coach since Peter Sharp (1999) to win their first three games in charge, and the first mid-season coach to win their first three games since Brad Fittler did it with the Roosters in 2007.