Manly must take their attacking brand of football to the NRL finals and resist the urge to rein it in come September, according to captain Daly Cherry-Evans.
Thursday’s 32-12 win over the Wests Tigers marked the sixth time this year the Sea Eagles have put 30 points on a team, as they snuck into the NRL’s top four.
Built on the back of second phase play and quick play-the-balls in the middle, Manly arguably play the most expansive football of any team in the NRL this year.
They lead the league for offloads per game, with Curtis Sironen, Martin Taupau, Manase Fainu and Addin Fonua-Blake all in the NRL’s top 12 producers.
Fainu’s impetus out at hooker has also been crucial, with the youngster averaging the third most dummy-half runs and most tackle busts of all No.9 in the league.
Eleven of their 79 tries this year have started from their own side of halfway, regularly breaking down opposition defences with inside balls.
Tom Trbojevic has again been the biggest beneficiary, with his average of 1.5 linebreaks per game also the most in the league.
“I think we have to back ourselves,” Cherry-Evans, who is ranked third in the NRL for try assists in 2019, said.
“(Against the Tigers) we backed ourselves. We played a bit more of a free style of football.
“Last week (in the loss to the Warriors) we probably fell into the trap of just getting stuck around the ruck and running one out.
“The Warriors did a few things that put us off our game. We learned our lesson and responded really well for the style of footy that suits us.”
The Sea Eagles also rank second in the league for tackle busts and third for line breaks.
In turn, coach Des Hasler’s most noted difference at Manly this year is how he has tightened the team’s defence while still keeping and adding to their free-flowing nature in attack.
Wins in their final three games will now likely mean a top-four finish for Manly, although their run into the finals is the most difficult of any team.
They face Canberra in Canberra next Sunday, before hosting Melbourne in round 24 and playing Parramatta at Bankwest Stadium in the final round.
“We control our own destiny which is the great part about it,” Cherry-Evans said.
“Without getting too ahead of ourselves. We have an opportunity to push ourselves up there.
“It’s going to be tough, it’s a big road ahead of us with three big games.”