Manly are adamant they can "win ugly" and without Tom Trbojevic if needed, as the superstar fullback awaits scans on his injured groin.
Trbojevic was due to undergo scans on Monday ahead of Saturday's NRL clash with Gold Coast, with Manly hoping he only twinged his groin late in Sunday's 22-16 win over Wests Tigers.
Regardless, the Sea Eagles are adamant their season won't be defined by the fullback's fitness, insisting they are a different side in 2023 after climbing to second on the ladder.
They are also buoyed by their ability to overcome difficulty, after they came from behind with Trbojevic and centre Brad Parker off the field in the final 10 minutes against the Tigers.
"We dealt with a lot of adversity, and that is part of the Manly mentality we have been talking about," prop Josh Aloiai said.
"One of the things we said when we were down and they scored that late try, we said 'boys let's bring it out of the fire here'.
"Perhaps in the past we wouldn't have got there in the end and found a way to win ugly. An ugly win is better than an ugly loss."
Aloiai said it hurt he and other players to see Trbojevic limp from the field, after the No.1's horror run with injuries in the past four years.
Manly players have made a point to grow closer this season off the field, with Trbojevic hosting a lengthy trivia night and putting on a dinner for the team in recent weeks.
"We're just super-connected here and some of our relationships are really tight," Aloiai said.
"So when you see someone get hurt, it hurts a bit.
"You want that connectivity in the group. We really care about one another and you can see that on the field and what we are building off the field.
"Regardless of what happens we are going to have each other's back. And that's how we are responding to everything this year."
Manly captain Daly Cherry-Evans echoed Aloiai's comments.
The Sea Eagles have won just 18 of 53 games without Trbojevic since the start of 2019, compared to 34 of 51 with him.
Manly are also six points better off in attack and eight points better in defence with Trbojevic on the field.
Statistically speaking, that 14-point swing with Trbojevic playing is greater than Andrew Johns' influence at Newcastle and Johnathan Thurston's at North Queensland.
But Cherry-Evans was adamant Manly could perform without their star fullback.
"Yeah, we are going to miss him if he doesn't play. Because he is an important part of our team," Cherry-Evans said.
"But (the win over the Tigers) showed that we're going to try and turn a page when it comes to Tom potentially playing or not playing, we're just going to move forward."
