Tom Trbojevic had a 2021 season which is comparable to few in the history of the game.
Returning to a beaten and broken Manly Sea Eagles side after a month out with injury, Trbojevic produced a season which took his club all the way to the preliminary finals.
Despite only managing 15 regular season games, he won the Dally M Medal and Rugby League Players Association Players' Player award, also taking out every honour Manly had to offer and averaging more than three try involvements per contest.
It was a season which has never been seen before and may never be seen again, but Trbojevic wants to repeat the dose.
Fullback
Tries
Try Assists
Tackle Breaks
He revealed last season he went alcohol-free following his return from injury and has told Fox Sports that he is going to do the same thing this year.
Trbojevic has already been off alcohol for a month and wants to repeat his incredible performances.
“I’m going to go for it again and I’ve already started, I’ve been sober for a month now,” Trbojevic said.
“I found it helped me out enormously last year so there’s no reason to change that.
“Obviously after what happened at the start of last year I got talking to (coach) Des (Hasler) and I realised what was important and I realised what would help you be the best footy player you could be.
“As fun as having a beer is it is it doesn’t help you play footy.
“I enjoyed the off-season but I decided I wanted to start again from the new year.”
Trbojevic will again run out in the number one jersey for the Sea Eagles in 2022 in a spine which will look similar to last year, with Kieran Foran and Daly Cherry-Evans in the halves, while Lachlan Croker will take the number nine jersey.
There has been some speculation Des Hasler's side are chasing James Segeyaro to add depth to their hooking stocks, although that is yet to be confirmed by the club. It followed Segeyaro mentioning he "has a contract".
Manly are expected to go to another level this season with the continued emergence of young guns like Jason Saab, Reuben Garrick, Josh Schuster, Haumole Olokau'atu, Sean Keppie and Taniela Paseka.
Tom's youngest brother Ben Trbojevic will also be fighting for a spot in the 17, however, no matter the way the rest of the side is coming along, the question will always be around Tom's form.
He is the key to Manly and seemed to know it throughout 2021 and said the side wanted to go a step further in 2022.
“But ultimately you want to be playing in those grand finals and you want to be winning them."
Manly open their campaign with a huge Round 1 clash against reigning premiers the Penrith Panthers in Penrith on Thursday, March 10.
