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Des Hasler insists Manly have turned their eye to a crucial assault on the NRL finals after putting the dramas of the rainbow jersey behind them.
Des Hasler says it is time to move on from Manly's rainbow jersey saga, adamant his playing group are united ahead of the run to the NRL finals.
Friday night's clash with Parramatta looms as one of the most important of Manly's season, given the Sea Eagles must win at least four of their last five to make finals.
Manly players met over the weekend to clear the air after last week's boycott, insistent they had emerged with a greater understanding of each other.
However that still did not stop reports of frustrated messages between players, as well as quotes from a so-called frustrated anonymous player appearing on Nine's website.
Regardless, Hasler was steadfast on Thursday that all was well within the Manly camp.
"At the heart of it, where it really is, it's good," Hasler said.
"It's the old expression that you can't control the noise outside. The players have resolved to just get on with it.
"I think at this stage it's been explored, it's been worked. We should just move on now."
The Manly coach also conceded he did not not know how the players would be received on Friday night, with five of the seven boycotters returning to the field.
He pleaded sympathy for all of the club's players last week, while Manly are at this stage not taking any extraordinary off-field steps around the match.
"That's a really hard question to answer," Hasler said when asked if he hoped fans had also moved on.
"Because everybody has individual thoughts about it, and it's always going to be one of those ones that is speculated and talked about.
"But I think people will look forward to seeing a great game of footy."
What Hasler does know is Manly need to win.
Undeterred by speculation around his own future for 2024 and beyond, the veteran mentor played down any claim his team would be desperate to make a statement after last week's dramas.
But with games against Gold Coast, Cronulla, Canberra and Canterbury to follow, Manly must take the points against an Eels side missing Mitch Moses.
"They're all important games from here on in," Hasler said.
"The only real sure thing that you can bank on is we need to win. But these are games that we expect to win."
Meanwhile Hasler said the call to leave Josh Schuster as 18th man was to allow for extra outside-back coverage on the bench in Ben Trbojevic, with Dylan Walker to come on only in the middle with Sean Keppie and Josh Aloiai injured.
