Des Hasler has issued a startling warning that Tom Trbojevic is still only warming up despite producing the finest performance of his career in Manly's 38-32 NRL win over the Warriors.
Superstar fullback Trbojevic celebrated his 100th match in style with arguably the best game by any player this year, scoring two tries and setting up four others.
It capped a bizarre Sunday afternoon of football, where Trbojevic led a Manly comeback from 20-12 down to lead 36-20 before they somehow almost lost it.
After the Warriors fought back to within six points with four minutes to play, through tries to Chanel Harris-Tavita and Reece Walsh, Ken Maumalo had a chance to level it on the bell.
But hat-trick hero Jason Saab pulled off a crucial try-saving tackle with 30 seconds left to force Maumalo out just centimetres short of the line.
Through it all though, Trbojevic was the star.
He finished with 11 tackle busts and five linebreaks to go with his 191 running metres.
At times it brought back memories of his record-breaking under-20s game against the Warriors in 2015 when he ran for 485 metres and scored four tries.
Manly are now within touching distance of the top eight despite recording their worst opening month to a season when Trbojevic was out injured.
"He was good in patches," Hasler said, in one of the great understatements.
"The scary part is he is still only building into the season. He is managing it well.
"He's just such a damaging player. He makes defences think twice and you give him a bit of space and away he goes.
"We're supporting him well on the edges and finishing off tries and linebreaks."
With Brett Stewart watching on as part of the 2011 premiership reunion, it raises the question of whether Trbojevic will one day top him and Graham Eadie as Manly's best ever No.1.
"He hasn't finished yet, he's still got a long way to go in his career. But he's chasing some wonderful, wonderful No.1s at this club," Hasler said.
"There have been some outstanding players (at fullback) so you expect them to have that kind of influence.
"He is just a footballer. He can play centre, he can play wing. He is just a real good footballer. He reads the play well and is learning all the time."
The fullback's influence was almost immediate.
He scored Manly's first try when he sprinted around behind the ruck to go over from first receiver, while for his second he changed direction again to run through the defence.
After the Warriors hit back before halftime and bombed a four-on-one advantage to go to a possible 24-12 lead when a Kodi Nikorima pass went into touch, Trbojevic exploded.
In the next set he put Morgan Harper over on the right edge before combining with Daly Cherry-Evans to put Saab in to score moments later.
A 15-metre cut-out ball for Reuben Garrick to score was his best play, while another try came when he broke downfield and put Saab over again for his second.
"We invited Daly and Tommy Turbo into the game," Warriors coach Nathan Brown said.
"At the end of the day they are in the top players playing the game. We have a lot of young players playing on both edges."
Australian Associated Press
