Vindication from NRL the next best thing to two points for DCE

Daly Cherry-Evans feels vindicated and thankful that the NRL admitted the Sea Eagles deserved a penalty for winger Reuben Garrick being illegally blocked in the final seconds of Saturday's 12-10 loss to the Dragons.

Touch judge Nick Beashel was dropped and NRL Head of Football Graham Annesley apologised for the failure of match officials to award a penalty against Dragons centre Tim Lafai after he prevented Garrick from competing for the ball.

It was Cherry-Evans that put the kick up for his winger. The Manly skipper debated the point with Munro before and after the full-time siren sounded.

A penalty could have led to drawn game and golden point extra time.

"Obviously it's great to see the referees coming out and owning decisions right, and wrong," Cherry-Evans said on Tuesday.

"Accountability in the game is what everyone wants. So it's fantastic that is happening. But unfortunately it doesn't change the result."

Regardless of two competition points gone begging, Cherry-Evans said his team will be mindful of being caught short by the escort rule again.

"I've said to the boys, 'Let's not leave it in the hands of someone else. Let's just try and win a game of footy based on our own decisions and our own right in doing so'," he said.

"That's the most important lesson we learnt out of that game."

Injured fullback Tom Trbojevic – a spectator in the stands at WIN Stadium on Saturday night – said he was confused by mid-air collisions and escorts when players are contesting a high ball.

"It's a very complicated rule ... it's not not black and white, so it's a tough one for players," he said.

Meantime, Trbojevic turning up at the team's media session gave hope he might be making an earlier return than the nine-week prognosis for a second tear in his left hamstring. An initial tear in the same leg put him out for five weeks.

But with just under two months left after damaging the muscle again in the round four win over the Rabbitohs, that would put Trbojevic back just days before the first game of the 2019 Holden State of Origin series is played at Suncorp Stadium.

"You have to be back on the field playing good footy to get picked in those sides," Trbojevic said when asked if he had come to terms with not playing Game One.

"At the moment I've definitely come to terms with that and know that I've got to get my hammy right.

"I'm not as good at maths as you but I think if you're back in eight weeks then you're not playing Origin. I'll just work as hard as I can to get it fully fit."

He said NSW Blues coach Brad Fittler had told him to "get it right" before thinking about playing footy.

"I've started doing a bit on the treadmill – not too much – and a bit in the gym as well," he said.

"I can't just go out on the field and start doing sprints. It takes a lot of time. I've got to get back running, then the demands of the game, then full training, then back playing.

"So I've still got a bit in front of me but I'm looking forward to it."

Perhaps more perplexing than knowing when he might return to the NRL, is why he finds himself back in the rehab ward in the first place.

"It's pleasing to know I did everything right initially," he said.

"But then you've got to ask yourself why is this happening now? Why have I had these two hamstring injuries that I've never had before?"