Are we looking at a Sea Eagles fairy tale this year?

When Trent Barrett started to pack his things halfway through the 2018 season, the Manly Sea Eagles could have played the 'rebuild' card and afforded themselves some time in NRL purgatory.

We've seen clubs use it before and skate through years of mediocrity without scrutiny. Not this group, though. The Sea Eagles replaced Barrett and his outdoor living with Des Hasler and haven't looked back.

Returning to add to the 206 games he coached at the club between 2004 and 2011, Hasler has brought with him the grit that makes Manly so good.

The grit that makes them hated.

Their list is far from flashy outside of a few big names. What Manly sent out in the backs to start the season didn't help anyone in their argument for expansion. Nevertheless, Hasler has been able to squeeze every last bit of talent, and most importantly, effort, out of this side many tipped to be in the hunt for the wooden spoon.

Navigating the first 15 rounds with Daly Cherry-Evans and Tom Trbojevic managing just 15 games between them, Manly's 9-6 record for 6th on the ladder has reset their goals.

Should the pair and Jake Trbojevic remain healthy from here, anything short of a finals football appearance will be considered a failure.

All of the talk now is around the impact a healthy Cherry-Evans and Tom Trbojevic can have on the side. They're two of the best players in the game and turn the Sea Eagles into a different side. However, it's the side Hasler has created in their absence that gives the superstar duo something to walk into and compete with.

Curtis Sironen has taken his game to another level. Managing just four games last season, 16 in 2017 and eight in 2016, being able to step on the field every week has made all the difference for Siro. He's played every game this season and looks a better player for it. Navigating his way out of the halves early in his career and into the backrow, Sironen is a capable ball-player and improving hole-runner. He gives Cherry-Evans a reliable option on the right side in attack and is an underrated defender.

It took a while to work through the list, but Cade Cust is the future at five-eighth. Unlike Kane Elgey and Lachlan Crocker who were both given starts before the 20-year old, Cust gets the job done. It's no frills, but effective.

Cust has three tries and five try assists in his five games, forced four dropouts without sending one dead, and engages the line 9.5 times per game. He's got a bit of the prime Kieran Foran's about him which, as we know, is exactly the sort of halves partner that can effectively co-exist with Cherry-Evans.

Marty Taupau has long been one of the best props in the game. Averaging 156 running metres in 2019, he's bang on his average of the last four years. It's Addin Fonua-Blake's improvement that has turned the Manly pack into one of the most destructive in the competition.

Running a career-high 160 metres per game, up from 126 metres per game in 2018, Fonua-Blake is a candidate for the Most Improved Player award. Jason Taumalolo (215m), David Klemmer (178m), Siosiua Taukeiaho (169m) and Payne Haas (165m) are the only forwards averaging more running metres than Fonua-Blake.

His impact on the side is seen in their win-loss record without him. The Sea Eagles are 8-3 when Fonua-Blake plays and just 1-3 when he doesn't. 

Behind Taupau and Fonua-Blake through the middle, Manase Fainu has come along leaps and bounds. The 20-year-old has had nations and states fighting over his services following his impressive performances in 2019. He's a demon out of dummy half scoring five tries, handing out two try assists and averaging 60 running metres in 44 minutes per game.

This came early in the season, but it remains an astute example of what Fainu offers out of dummy half. Shaping right, it's Fainu's dart to put the marker in his seat that creates the overlap and the try.

Fainu has provided the spark while the likes of Corey Waddell, Jack Gosiewski and Morgan Boyle have taken the next steps in their careers off the bench under the guidance Hasler.

No stranger to salary cap issues, Hasler has manufactured his own depth in the side by developing those on the fringes. Now, after an injury-affected start to 2019, Hasler and Manly can really start to reap the rewards of their early-season labour.

Manly's attacking numbers aren't significantly better in 2019, but that's what makes them so impressive at this point. They've stayed at par for the course despite playing without their putter and driver.

Now that Cherry-Evans and Tom Trbojevic are healthy and finding their feet, we should see a bump in those attacking numbers for the Sea Eagles to take another unexpected leap towards finals football.

Hasler's influence on this side can be seen in the effort areas and defence.

Simple things that often go unnoticed like an effective kick-chase, line-speed, pressure at marker - the "one-percenters" - have made all the difference. 

Despite sending out what many considered a reserve-grade quality backline so start the season, the likes of Brendan Elliott, Brad Parker, Moses Suli, Reuben Garrick and Jorge Taufua have held relatively firm. It's another area we can anticipate an improvement with the cohesion and continuity that comes with consistently fielding a full-strength side.

It will need to be full-strength for the Sea Eagles to get through the rest of the year and reach their new goal ahead of setting another.

Remaining Draw:

Round 16: Bye
Round 17: @ Rabbitohs (2nd)
Round 18: Eels (8th)
Round 19: @ Storm (1st)
Round 20: Knights (5th)
Round 21: @ Warriors (12th)
Round 22: Tigers (9th)
Round 23: @ Raiders (4th)
Round 24: Storm (1st)
Round 25: @ Eels (8th)

The struggling Warriors are the only side significantly outside of finals contention left on Manly's remaining draw. With the Rabbitohs, two against the Storm, and an away trip to the Raiders, the Sea Eagles can't afford to pat themselves on the back just yet.

A lot can happen in a month and one losing run can put the Sea Eagles under all sorts of pressure.

Hasler will work hard to avoid the squad growing complacent with the return of their two superstars. The job isn't done yet. If Manly can split their remaining matches to finish with 13 or 14 wins and a spot in the Top 8, anything is possible from there.

The Stats Insider Model gives the Sea Eagles just a 3.4% chance of doing the unthinkable and winning the Grand Final. There is every chance that number grows in the coming weeks, though.

A returning Hasler has already worked his magic and no doubt has a few more tricks up his sleeve.

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