Manly in crisis but Warriors must lift

THE New Zealand Warriors couldn’t have picked a better time to play the Manly Sea Eagles.

Their round 20 NRL fixture is one the Warriors desperately need two points from to get back on track after their dreadful 24-0 loss to the Sydney Roosters last weekend and, fortunately for them, they’ll be going up against a side in complete disarray.

Sea Eagles coach Geoff Toovey is set to be officially sacked when he returns to Sydney and it will be announced that Trent Barrett will take the coaching reins from 2016.

It was also leaked earlier in the week that 14 players have been told to seek employment elsewhere – so the Sea Eagles’ coach and players will clearly have more pressing things on their minds come 5pm today.

The one solace they have is they’re away from the glare of the Sydney media.

‘‘It’s good to be away for two or three days and focus on football,’’ Toovey said. ‘‘Being together will be a welcome boost for us and hopefully it translates into some good performances on the field against the Warriors.’’

While an axe hovers above heads at Manly, they need to get up for a game that could have dire consequences for their finals hopes should they lose.

The club are three wins outside the NRL top eight and losing 30-12 to the Cowboys on Monday added to their woes.

Toovey admits they’re running out of lives in this year’s campaign: ‘‘We can probably afford to drop one or two more, but that will be it.’’

Such has been the turmoil around the Sea Eagles the past week that it’s easy to forget about the Warriors’ problems.

They were held scoreless for the first time in six years last weekend and they will need to significantly lift their game if they want to beat a team that – despite their problems – still possesses arguably the best halves combination in the NRL in Daly CherryEvans and Kieran Foran.