Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
AAP
AAP
Sport
Scott Bailey

Manly injury concerns before season opener

Dylan Walker was one of three Manly players injured in their trial loss to Canberra on Friday night. (AAP)

Des Hasler is clinging to hope Manly's team for the NRL season opener against premiers Penrith will be intact after they suffered three injuries in an 18-16 trial loss to Canberra.

Martin Taupau, Dylan Walker and Haumole Olakau'atu all departed injured from Friday night's match in Gosford while Ben Trbojevic was also hurt late but stayed on.

The blows came just 13 days out from the season opener, as Manly let a 16-0 lead slip in the wet in their final trial match.

In a nightmare start, Taupau was injured in just the second minute when he jarred his back and looked in serious pain.

He was taken from the field after being assessed by Manly medical staff, but Hasler was insistent he could have returned.

Olakau'atu then left the field with a partial dislocation of the right elbow early in the second half, before Dylan Walker suffered an ankle injury late.

"The main one is Haumole, it's just his elbow which he subluxed," Hasler said.

"Walks will be okay and Marty is just a strained back and we took him off for precaution but he could have come back on.

"Round one for them, Haumole is the biggest problem."

Olakau'atu's injury is a concern for Manly, given they are already without second-rower Josh Schuster for the opening six rounds of the season.

Ethan Bullemor will fill one edge, while Karl Lawton will now likely fill the other with Andrew Davey an option on the bench.

Canberra earlier appeared the team with more to worry about after Jack Wighton gifted the Sea Eagles their first two tries.

He threw an intercept to create Manly's first, allowing Jason Saab to run 90 metres to score without getting out of first gear.

A Wighton error then let fellow speedster Tolu Koula loose, going 95 metres as proof Manly could lay claim to the fastest backline in the competition.

Koula is yet to make his NRL debut and the teenager could feature at some point this year after Morgan Harper returns in the centres for round one.

Manly superstar Tom Trbojevic claimed a customary four-pointer when he backed up Reuben Garrick, before Wighton rebounded well.

He got the Raiders on the board on half-time, before Nick Cotric and Joe Tapine also bagged second-half tries for Canberra to claim the win.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.