It may not have been taking candy from a baby, but Manly fans still had their choice of sweets when watching star Tom Trbojevic against Parramatta.
That’s how Sea Eagles coach Des Hasler described it after Trbojevic stretched his undefeated season to an eighth game on Sunday.
The Kangaroos star dined out on the Eels with a try, try assist, and 250 metres gained in yet another eye-catching display.
And Hasler believes that still may not have been enough for Trbojevic.
“Yeah there were parts in there today he’d be disappointed in, but he’d be hard on himself,” Hasler said after the match.
Trbojevic has now won all six of his NRL games he has appeared in this season, which has been limited due to hamstring issues.
He also won both of the State of Origin games he played for NSW in their triumphant campaign.
He hasn’t tasted defeat since playing for the Kangaroos last October.
“He’s just got that ability to turn something that’s a half-break into a full-break. If anything, what was on show was probably too much,” Hasler said.
“It’s like being in the lolly shop the other day.
“But certainly what he comes up with, just off the cuff, is really important. You need that against the high-quality sides above us.”
Trbojevic’s feats overshadowed a maiden career hat trick from rookie winger Reuben Garrick, who finished with a 20-point tally.
Garrick’s impressive performance came just days after losing grandfather David Yates, with the Sea Eagles wearing black armbands in his memory.
“He’s having a really good year, Reub, considering it’s his first year. So we’re just managing that,” Hasler said.
The resounding victory sets the Sea Eagles up for a mouth-watering clash with ladder leaders Melbourne at AAMI Park next week.
Hasler’s side are two points away from the top four, however he was unsure whether their current form could match it with the heavyweights.
“I don’t think it’s really about that at this stage,” Hasler said.
“You can’t really answer that question until you actually play them. But I know the last 20 (minutes against the Eels) wasn’t.
“It’s always a tough task going down to play Melbourne, so it’ll be a game that you need to generate that 80-minute performance.
“Today’s a good start, a good kick-start. We need to play that 80-minute football.”