Haumole Olakau’atu’s frustrations got the better of him a second time last Thursday in a moment not seen on live TV coverage.
Olakau’atu was being sent to the sin bin early in the second half of Manly’s loss to Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval when he reacted angrily to being goaded by Tigers fans in the main grandstand, beckoning them to come down to the playing field.
Cameras then captured him storming into the away sheds and launching a white plastic chair across the room into a wall.
The 25-year-old had vowed to improve his behaviour after being hit with a two-match ban for entering a sideline melee in the State of Origin decider at Suncorp Stadium earlier this season. Olakau’atu was NSW’s 19th man and dressed in chinos and a blazer, but got involved when Blues teammate Brian To’o was roughed up by more than half a dozen Maroons.
Emotions are sure to be running high inside Accor Stadium on Friday evening when Manly meet Canterbury in front of a parochial crowd of some 40,000 fans.
The individual match-up between Olakau’atu and Canterbury’s Viliame Kikau shapes as one of the weekend highlights.
Haumole Olakau’atu loses his cool last Thursday night.Credit: Nine
Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold said Olakau’atu had done well to control his aggression on his return to the field last Thursday, and had been “unfortunate” to be sin-binned let alone charged for a high shot on Tigers fullback Heath Mason.
“One of Haumole’s weapons is his intent and his aggression, he’s a pro who works hard at his game, and he’ll be back to his best on Friday night,” Seibold told this masthead.
“He’s a real weapon for us, Kikau is a weapon for the Dogs. He’s been consistent for them this year. Haumole started the season with a bang, then played Origin for the first time, and like any player who plays Origin for the first time, the big challenge is getting themselves back up physically and mentally.
“This is the exciting part of the season, we’ve qualified for finals, now it’s about qualifying for a home final, and Haumole will be ready to play and bring his best.”
The Sea Eagles will celebrate Tom Trbojevic’s 150th game, with the fullback to be presented with his milestone jersey by life member Warwick ‘Wok’ Bulmer.
This masthead reported during the week Trbojevic was prepared give up $750,000 of his salary as a show of good faith to Manly for sticking by him while injured.
The NRL rejected the request, while some commentators questioned whether the Sea Eagles had pressured Trbojevic into handing back some of his cash. Seibold rubbished those suggestions.
“To suggest the club went to Turbo to put pressure on him is uncalled for,” he said. “I think the integrity around people questioning that it was the club who had the conversation with Turbo is just not true.”