Having won nine out of their past 10 matches and sitting atop the NRL ladder, Manly are not exactly flying under the radar.

So coach Des Hasler had to laugh at suggestions Manly had reached the top of the table so far undetected by media.

"Are we flying under the radar? You haven't read the papers yet obviously," he told reporters after Friday night's 34-14 victory over Gold Coast.

"We're moo-ving along, okay?"

It was a unrepentant dig at the media, who have focused their attentions this week not on Manly's impressive series of victories, but on what their players have got in their bloodstreams.

The Sea Eagles have refused to confirm or deny reports players have been using a controversial performance booster containing calf blood.

Hasler did his best to keep reporters focused on the job at hand - to talk up the Sea Eagles, who are well on track to securing their fourth consecutive finals campaign.

The grinding victory over a gallant Gold Coast outfit at Skilled Park on Friday night reaffirmed their status as one of the teams to beat this season.

Against an injury depleted but spirited Titans line-up, the Sea Eagles matched whatever the home side threw at them, before putting them out of their misery with a four-try blitz late in the match.

Hasler said despite their top-of-the-table standing, his side was not without fault.

"We were pretty ugly for at least 60-65 minutes in, but were able to rally enough to get home the points," he said.

"Obviously we're going to have to improve a bit, 'cause there's a good way to go yet."

They face Cronulla, the Roosters and the Storm - who round out the current top four teams - within the next five rounds.

It was too early to be counting on a finals appearance, Hasler said.

"We're in the mix, we're battling away and doing our best," he said.

"Touch wood, we've been fairly injury-free, (but) there are seven games to go, we've got to play the Roosters, we've got to play the Sharks again, we've got to play Storm again, so there's a long, long way to go."

Manly will travel to Toyota Stadium to face the high-flying Sharks next Saturday.

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