Kieran Foran thinks that there is nowhere to go but up when he returns to Pirtek Stadium this time around. He is captain of the Eels this time for the contest against the Brisbane Broncos for the season opening Round 1 game.
In last year’s first round as a member of the Sea Eagles, Foran could not complete the game due to a hamstring injury. His side lost the game by 30 points. Another Manly player, Clint Gutherson, experienced a serious ACL injury. To add insult to that loss and those injuries, on the ride home, Daly Cherry-Evans informed the team that he was leaving for a better deal with Gold Coast.
The Eels have more reasons than the acquisition of Foran over which to feel optimistic about the upcoming season. A three-year sponsorship deal with the financial services company Infinity Group Australia brought a welcome infusion of capital. Attendance for the game is expected to be at or near capacity.
Promising recruits Michael Gordon, Michael Jennings and Beau Scott add to the optimism.
As for Foran, he feels that the hamstring issues that have negatively impacted his play over the past two seasons are behind him. After having limited success against the Eels after six previous trips to Pitrek resulted in only two victories, he expresses relief over the opportunity to be on the other side of the equation.
