Manly forced to withdraw rookie hooker after NRL refuse to grant exemption for injury list
MANLY have been forced to withdraw rookie hooker Manase Fainu from making his debut against St George Illawarra after the NRL refused to grant an exemption for the club’s crippling injury toll.
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STRUGGLING Manly have been forced to withdraw rookie hooker Manase Fainu from making his debut against St George Illawarra on Saturday after the NRL refused to grant the club an exemption for their crippling injury toll.
The decision will reignite the Jackson Hastings debate after he was again controversially overlooked for a first-grade spot.
Sea Eagles coach Trent Barrett selected Fainu, 19, on Tuesday to face the Dragons in Wollongong, but the NRL had not been granted official clearance to play.
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The NRL has since rejected Manly’s exemption request, claiming the Sea Eagles already had three fit hookers — Hastings, Lewis Brown and Matt Wright.
Undeterred though, Manly last night resubmitting their exemption request, arguing Fainu is a pure hooker, Hastings is playing five-eighth for Blacktown Workers in the NSW Intrust Super Premiership, Brown is a utility player while Wright is primarily a winger or fullback.
Barrett’s hooking dilemma intensified after regular dummy half Api Koroisau was ruled out for eight to 10 weeks after fracturing his right foot against the New Zealand Warriors last weekend.
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The Manly coach will now have to decide on a new hooker within the next 24 hours. Given his stance to overlook Hastings, it would appear Brown would be favourite.
Brown was named in jumper 19 for the Dragons match on an extended Manly bench.
Manly have already filled their 30-man NRL squad, meaning Fainu would unable to be elevated into the NRL through a full-time contract.
“The NRL has said no at the moment so we’ve just got to wear that and move forward,” Manly chief executive Lyall Gorman told The Daily Telegraph.
“It’s their right to say no and they have. I will never get frustrated or disappointed over interpretations of the rules.
“We all know what they are. We put up a case for exemption and it will either be approved or knocked back so there’s no point throwing your toys out of the cot.
“You just have to get on with business.
“We are already at 30 players otherwise we could have moved him (Fainu) straight in. We play under the rules and regulations.”
An NRL spokesman said: “The player is currently a development player. In order for him to play in the Telstra Premiership the Club would need to request an exemption based on the circumstances, or alternatively upgrade the player’s contract.”
Hastings was dumped to Blacktown Workers after a well-documented fight with Manly skipper Daly Cherry-Evans. The drama was first revealed on The Daily Telegraph’s back page on April 17.
Manly have tried to shift Hastings without success.
Hastings and his manager, Sam Ayoub, are aware the player is on a healthy contract this season worth about $350,000.
He had been linked to Leeds in Super League but that move appears to have stalled.
A Manly media statement on Tuesday jumped the gun, declaring: “Exciting young hooker Manase Fainu will make his NRL debut to replace the injured Api Koroisau.
“The 19-year-old has been in fine form in his 10 games for the Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles this season in the Intrust Super Premiership.
“Fainu was one of the real shining lights in captaining Manly to the NYC premiership last year, playing 28 games. He won Manly’s best and fairest award for that grade.”
Manly has endured a forgettable season, winning just four matches and sit 13th on the NRL competition table.
Gorman though is attempting to remain upbeat.
“It’s certainly been a year of disruption,” Gorman said. “There’s no doubt about that.
“That’s only going to make us stronger and better. We will stay true and keep punching.”