Sea Eagles riding out season on massive wave of self-belief
DEFIANT Sea Eagles players will use the news that up to 15 of the current team will leave the club next season to reinforce their famous siege mentality in this afternoon’s clash with the Warriors at Mount Smart Stadium.
The game comes at the end of another tumultuous week for the club as they embark on a rebuilding program for 2016.
Utility player Feleti Mateo said this season at Manly had been “full of chaos to say the least”, starting with the dramas involving star halves Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran.
“I think those sort of things just bring the team together,” Mateo said.
“If anything we can use that as fuel and hopefully play well this weekend.”
The former Warrior said while the game attracts attention in New Zealand, that was nothing compared with the spotlight in Sydney.
“There is always going to be scrutiny, there is always going to be media and stories – it’s just how you deal with it really,” he said.
Winger Peta Hiku said the impending departures of teammates at the end of the year was a motivating factor.
“At the beginning of the year when Cherry and ‘Foz’ were leaving that was motivat- ing us to play with them because this was going to be our last season with them,” he said.
“If a few more of our boys are going that will be more motivation for us because we want to go off on a high note.”
Hiku said the players took responsibility for the team’s position on the table.
“We are the ones out there on the field doing it, we are the ones missing the tackles and making the errors,” he said.
“That is something we just have to work on.”
While the Sea Eagles will need a miracle to make the finals, backrower Tom Symonds said the team definitely did not consider the season to be over.
“We have plenty to play for to be honest, whether you are up the top or down the bottom every week you play your pride is on the line – your personal performance and your team performance as well,” he said.