![\"Christian](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/635402f1698dc5687fb8f98be5c093fe76cbc56f.png\")
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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n Save this article for later<\/p>\n Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime.<\/p>\n Got it<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n Manly caretaker coach Kieran Foran had one simple message for Thursday\u2019s man of the match Haumole Olakau\u2019atu.<\/p>\n \u201cHe gave me the green light to play freely, to do what I do best, which is run the ball, and get involved early,\u201d said Olakau\u2019atu, one of the many standouts for the Sea Eagles\u2019 in their shock 52-18 win over the Dolphins<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI felt like I hadn\u2019t put my hand up [the opening three games]. Maybe it was a confidence thing with my shoulder, and the lack of contact work.<\/p>\n \u201cBut \u2018Foz\u2019 [Foran] told me he knew how I played, what I was good at and to do what I do best.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was one of the best performances of my career.<\/p>\n \u201cFoz was a big reason for the win. I\u2019m not taking anything away from \u2018Seibs\u2019 [former coach Anthony Seibold], but Foz played with half the boys here, he\u2019s now coaching Manly. It was a special moment for him and his family, and we wanted to put in a good performance for him, the club and the community.\u201d<\/p>\n Foran could not have asked for a better start to his coaching career.<\/p>\n He was appointed in an interim capacity on Saturday, a day after Seibold was sacked after just three games<\/a>. You can only imagine the mixed emotions Seibold was feeling while watching the same team dismantle an ill-disciplined Dolphins.<\/p>\n All three Trbojevic brothers, Tom, Jake and Ben, were outstanding, while Olakau\u2019atu had 23 runs for nearly 250m in a breathtaking, State of Origin-like effort on the right edge.<\/p>\n He set up a couple of tries, and got the giggles when Kodi Nikorima was penalised for throwing his boot away, \u201cSomething I didn\u2019t even know was a thing\u201d.<\/p>\n Olakau\u2019atu underwent shoulder surgery<\/a> midway through last year, and while he did not feature in the trials, said he was more than physically ready to start the season. He also knew it was going to take time to strike up a combination with halfback Jamal Fogarty after so many years spent playing outside Daly Cherry-Evans.<\/p>\n As Foran said of Olakau\u2019atu when he landed back in Sydney on Friday: \u201cHis involvements were top class. He\u2019s such a strike weapon to us. We need to find a way to get him the footy and get him involved as much as we can. He has so much to offer.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Haumole](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/bd1ad68e458cf6280cbbedf6d09aa2b9db85ce30c11432301997494d0b808d15.jpeg\")
Haumole Olakau\u2019atu was a standout in Kieran Foran\u2019s first game in charge of Manly.NRL Images<\/p>\n![\"Happy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/c672fbe9995c8fa183b09ea7fbede1341673cc345304702e88cab4ebafb1734b.jpeg\")
Happy campers: Tom Trbojevic and Kieran Foran after Thursday\u2019s win.NRL Images<\/p>\n
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