Manly Sea Eagles’ Addin Fonua Blake could spend more time on sidelines

After copping a two-week suspension for abusing referee Grant Atkins, Manly Sea Eagles star Addin-Fonua Blake risks missing a third straight game if he refuses to receive a flu vaccination.

Manly will give prop Addin Fonua-Blake the next 48 hours to decide if he will be immunised in time to travel to Queensland next week or miss his third consecutive match.

While coach Des Hasler confirmed on Friday that Fonua-Blake had not yet received an injection and was anticipating doing without his representative forward, delicate discussions between the club and Founa-Blake have continued in recent days ahead of their match in Townsville. If he does not receive a flu jab this week he will be unavailable for Manly’s clash against North Queensland on Friday. The Queensland government have made the flu injections compulsory for anyone playing in the NRL to enter the state as part of the NRL’s biosecurity measures part of the unless they receive medical exemption.

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Addin Fonua-Blake could miss the Sea Eagles, Cowboys clash due to his stance on vaccination. Picture: Getty Images.

His Sea Eagles teammate Dylan Walker also refused the injection but has received a medical exemption to play in Queensland. It is similar to the one granted to Titans player Bryce Cartwright. However, Walker will miss the game through injury.

Penrith are the other side travelling to Queensland next round ahead of their match against Gold Coast on Sunday. Hooker Api Koroisau confirmed he would be free to play against the Titans.

Fonua-Blake could miss his third straight game if he does not have the injection after being suspended for his foul-mouthed tirade towards referee Grant Atkins.

Fonua-Blake, Walker and teammate Marty Taupau were among the list of players who refused the initial injection when the NRL brought in the policy in May. However, Tapuau quickly had the flu immunisation.

Addin Fonua-Blake was suspended for two weeks after his foul-mouthed outburst at referee Grant Atkins.

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Canterbury’s Sione Katoa was another player who rejected the shot initially but had his injection two days before playing his first game for the Bulldogs against the Broncos in Brisbane last Friday. Canberra have Joe Tapine and Josh Papalii plus the injured Iosia Soliola who have not been vaccinated. The Raiders will discuss the issue with Tapine and Papalii this week ahead of their match against the Cowboys in Townsville on August 1.

COVID-19 CRUELS NRL’S BRIGHTEST PROSPECT

—Fatima Kdouh

Manly faithful could have to wait another season to see one of the game’s brightest prospects take the field after coach Des Hasler confirmed he won’t rush Albert Hopoate back from injury.

Hopoate was robbed of the chance to make his NRL debut after rupturing his ACL, for the second time, playing SG Ball last year. It was only Hopoate’s second game back from his first ACL injury.

While Hasler confirmed Hopoate is back to training full-time with the top 30 squad, the disruption to the 2020 season because of COVID-19 could cruel the youngster of a debut in 2020.

Albert Hopoate is back to full training after his second ACL injury. Digital image by Gregg Porteous NRL Photos

“It just depends on how we go with injuries … the expectation [is it] won’t happen. Last year he didn’t play much football and then injured his knee coming back in at SG Ball,” Hasler said.

As it stands, there is no reserve grade competition for players like Hopoate to ease their way into first grade after serious injury. Inter-club scrimmages have now also been cancelled as the NRL tightened biosecurity protocols this week after an outbreak of the virus in parts of Sydney.

“He’s been training full time, coming off a double ACL injury now, the hardest part has been no Canterbury Cup [to make the] transition [into NRL] and then we started the internal scrimmage among the clubs, that was giving them a bit of an idea to see how they are going, but because of COVID-19 that has been cancelled again as well,” Hasler said.

Hopoate’s talents are so highly regarded it prompted rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns to call for Canterbury, who are in a rebuild phase, to target the off-contract fullback.

Morgan Harper has joined the Sea Eagles effective immediately.

Hasler lost his most influential player in fullback Tom Trbojevic to a hamstring injury in round six placing even more pressure on the coach’s thin outside back stocks.

In a bid to bolster his roster, Hasler has signed rising back Morgan Harper from Canterbury until the season 2022 effective immediately.

“We signed Morgan for next year and the year after and the Bulldogs released him. He’s a good young outside back. It’s probably an area we need depth, He’s got a lot of potential and a lot of promise,” Hasler said.

“He’s in the top 30 so pending injuries, as a far as depth is concerned there, he’ll be one that we can utilise going forward.”

The Sea Eagles have struggled to win games without superstar fullback Tom Trbojevic and are staring down the barrel of four-straight loses without him if they are unable to overcome the Eels Saturday night.

Halfback Daly Cherry-Evans endured one of the worst performances of his career in last weekend’s 34-4 loss to St George Illawarra. The normally reliable playmaker gave away an intercept try and made two uncharacteristic handling errors in attack.

But Hasler backed the experienced campaigner to bounce back against the Eels.

Manly have struggled with injury and suspension in 2020 and need a win after three straight losses. Picture: Brett Costello.

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“It was just a one-off thing. It was very rare, but it happened,” Hasler said.

“Chez is a consummate professional, and I don‘t say that lightly.

“The boys were disappointed. I was disappointed with the way we performed, particularly with the ball.

“They‘re all looking forward to tomorrow, we need a win.

“Last week defensively we had two tries offensively.

“They scored two tries off intercepts and another two tries off kicks late in the game. It was more the way we let the tries in, we need to adjust.

“The week before we were pretty consistent in the way we went about things against Newcastle, that consistency in our game.”

Hasler also confirmed that Moses Suli is fit to take his place in the side after a heavily strapped hamstring against the Dragons appeared to hamper the centre.