Manly coach Des Hasler has a simple formula for his club's charge up the NRL ladder - keep winning.
Hasler was delighted after his team rebounded from an early 14-0 deficit to thump Newcastle 44-20 at Bluetongue Stadium on Friday night. It was Manly's sixth win from their last seven matches, moving them to fifth on the ladder and making their dreadful start to the year a distant memory.
"It'd be everyone's goal to have a shot at the top four," he said. "We just have to keep winning, mate. I'm not one to use cliches but that's what it is for us at the moment. We just have to keep winning and the rest of it we can't control.
"This was a good step forward. Now that Origin's finished we can get some players back and ... start to work on some combinations."
Those players back for the Sea Eagles include injured fullback Brett Stewart and suspended pair Heath L'Estrange and Steve Matai. Stewart is expected to return from a knee injury by round 24, while hooker L'Estrange and Kiwi international Matai will be available for selection for next weekend's match against the Wests Tigers after serving their bans.
Despite their recent good form, Hasler feels the reigning premiers' best is yet to come.
"It's a start. We're not there yet," he said. " We've still got improvement."
Meanwhile, Knights veteran Steve Simpson says getting one over coach Brian Smith's future employers won't be the motivation for next week's match against the Roosters.
Smith will quit the Knights at season's end to join the Bondi Junction-based club but Simpson says his motivation is more personal. Embarrassed by their capitulation to Manly, the former test back-rower says beating the Roosters is about restoring pride.
"I think we just really want to bounce back," Simpson told AAP. "I'm not worried about that [Smith's move] at all.
"I'm disappointed with my own game. I'm just really looking forward to next week, bouncing back and making amends."
Simpson says speculation Smith's decision to leave the club could derail the Knights season was off the mark. The loss was more about what happened on the pitch rather than any off-field issues.
- AAP
NRL: Winning only way to keep going
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