BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 20: Josh Schuster of the Sea Eagles in action during the round 23 NRL match between the Canberra Raiders and the Manly Sea Eagles at Suncorp Stadium, on August 20, 2021, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Manly Sea Eagle Josh Schuster has made the massive call to stand down from selection in this year’s Rugby League World Cup, instead focusing on getting himself right to take up the club’s five-eighth role in 2023.
With the departure of Kieran Foran from the Sea Eagles ranks, Schuster seems poised to make the No.6 jersey his own next season and has told Samoa he won’t be available for the side when the tournament begins in October.
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 20: Josh Schuster of the Sea Eagles in action during the round 23 NRL match between the Canberra Raiders and the Manly Sea Eagles at Suncorp Stadium, on August 20, 2021, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Schuster’s spotty form this year has seen him in and out of first grade following a promising start to his first grade career.
The Manly young gun is now set to take a full pre-season to further get his head around the particulars of halves play and presumably slim down for the role.
Players representing their nations at the World Cup are not expected to return to club training until January, meaning Schuster would only have a couple of weeks to train before the season’s resumption in March if he went to England.
Still, it will be a shame not to see Schuster line up alongside players like Jarome Luai, Brian To’o, Josh Papali’i and Junior Paulo, who have already pledged their allegiance to the Pacific Island nation for this year’s tournament.
Source:: ZeroTackle
