Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson has warned his team they face a torrid time if they don't find a way to combat the explosive brilliance of Manly fullback Tom Trbojevic.
Heading into Friday's NRL clash with the unbeaten Roosters, Manly No.1 Trbojevic has started the year in great form.
Fresh from tearing up Canterbury - in a match in which he made 182 metres, scored a try and set up another two - he has worked his way into NSW representative contention.
Since inheriting the Sea Eagles' No.1 jersey this year from Brett Stewart, Trbojevic has averaged 173m a game.
Has has made a league-leading 690m over the first four weeks and is also equal first in linebreaks with six alongside Semi Radradra and Tyrone Peachey, according to Fox Sports Stats.
His ability to make big metres out of the back field and obliterate sides with his support play and individual brilliance harks back to 2015 when then-Roosters No.1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck set an NRL record for most metres gained in a season - averaging 215m per game.
"There's a lot of the back field that's doing a lot of work," Robinson said of Manly's back three.
"They have Tom, obviously, and (Akuila) Uate and (Jorge) Taufua do a lot of work for them as well. It's a lot of big guys to handle.
"Tom turns up on his carries and on other people's carries. We're going to be diligent in our defence."
The Roosters are set to receive a double boost with skipper and hooker Jake Friend to return while Blake Ferguson appears likely to make his injury comeback.
Friend missed last week's win over South Sydney after his three front teeth were damaged a week earlier against Penrith.
Ferguson is seeking to return from a rib injury, which kept him out the past fortnight, and Robinson said he was confident of his strike centre being cleared.
He was on Thursday included in the Roosters' reduced 19-man squad with Robinson to make the decision on the make-up of his team an hour before kick-off.
The game will also be Manly utility Jackson Hastings' first appearance against his former club following his tumultuous off-season exit.
Robinson's Manly opposite Trent Barrett praised the Roosters as the form team of the competition after the Tricolours jumped to the competition lead after four rounds.
Robinson denied his side were the benchmark, pointing out his team shaded the Bulldogs 28-24 while the Sea Eagles gave Des Hasler's side a 36-0 hiding last week.
However Barrett said they represented a litmus test for his outfit after two encouraging wins over the Bulldogs and North Queensland.
"We're doing some things well but there are probably some things we can improve on," Barrett said.
STATS THAT MATTER
* The Roosters have won only 44 of 128 matches overall (34.4%) against the Sea Eagles, their worst record against any of the current NRL teams. The Roosters have won just once since their 2013 Grand Final victory over Manly.
* The Roosters are sitting on top of the competition ladder for the first time since round 26, 2015 when they won the minor premiership.
* The Roosters have won four straight matches to start a season for the first time since 1996 when they won 10 straight.
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