Injured Manly co-captain Jason King is next to no chance of making it back should the Sea Eagles make the NRL grand final, but that won't stop him hoping.

King's right arm is still in a sling after surgery for a torn pectoral muscle, an injury with a four-month recovery period that ended his season three weeks ago.

He'll be out of the sling in a week and a half but, with the decider five weeks away, says he's less than a one per cent chance of being there should his Manly team-mates make it.

"Speaking to the doctors, the specialists and the physios I'll be playing in March next year but I guess you always hold out hope," he told reporters on Thursday.

King will need to be content with being a spectator for Friday night's massive clash between grand final rivals Manly and Melbourne at Brookvale Oval.

On a night the Storm will be booed for beating the Sea Eagles in the 2007 decider with an illegal roster and NRL boss David Gallop will be heckled for suspending fullback Brett Stewart in 2008, King will be admiring what both sides have done this season.

Neither were fancied as the competition kicked off, Manly having lost key playmaker Trent Hodkinson and Melbourne rebuilding a salary cap compliant roster.

But Melbourne have won a club-record 12 straight, while the Sea Eagles are undefeated at home in 2011.

"From an outsider's perspective (it's a big achievement)," King said.

"From within the club we set ourselves some performance goals every week and we set out pretty hard and pretty intently to achieve those.

"It's worked out for us pretty well but we've always been quietly confident and we'll continue to be."

King was spotted chatting with Gallop at Thursday's launch of the NRL's inaugural Academic Team of the Year.

A squad of 17 players was chosen and presented with ipads to showcase the fact 80 per cent of players are undergoing further education and training.

"I'm sure (the fans at Brookvale) may have something to say (to Gallop), I don't know," King said.

"I was just thanking him for the ipad."

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