After a disappointing start to the 2022 season, going one and two, Manly Sea Eagles coach Des Hasler has decided to shake things up on his left edge, demoting near 100-game mainstay centre Brad Parker and replacing him with 19-year-old young gun Tolutauย Koula.
Parker, who has totalled 91 games for the Northern Beaches side since debuting for the club back in 2016, will see himself scratched from the lineup in favour of the more explosive Koula.
A big question for the Sea Eagles heading into 2022 was the impact their centres could make, with a consistently dominant edge being a crucial part of a club's success in the modern game.
While both Parker and Morgan Harper, the team's opposite centre, were in the hot seat heading into the season, it seems Parker is the first to have his wings clipped.
The 25-year-old Parker is a stout defender and often doesn't make many mistakes, however, his inability to create on his own makes him replaceable.
It also seems as though Parker's combination with his winger Rueben Garrick isn't as potent as what it was in 2021 when they combined for 31 tries between the two of them.
In just three games Parker remains scoreless and Garrick has produced only one try.
Koula will enter the squad hoping to deliver the spark needed for a win against the Canberra Raiders on Saturday night.
The former Manly SG Ball star and Australian Schools rugby representative has been long touted as one of the more promising talents emerging through the club's ranks.
Having made his NRL debut with the side in a Round 1 loss against the Panthers after an impressive run through the pre-season trials, Koula will be hoping to improve on his short eight-minute stint as the Sea Eagles look to change the guard at a crucial position.
