SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 25: Latrell Mitchell of the Rabbitohs and Joseph Manu of the Roosters shakes hand after the round three NRL match between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Sydney Roosters at Accor Stadium, on March 25, 2022, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Maori All Stars centre Joseph Manu has been ruled out of the cultural clash after suffering a minor facial fracture at training, while Jared Warea-Hargreaves will miss out following a flare up.
The Roosters were training in Queenstown during the club’s annual pre-season trip across the ditch when the outside back suffered a minor fracture to his face during a training drill.
It isn’t the first time Manu has suffered a facial injury, having fractured his cheekbone in the Latrell Mitchell incident back in late 2021.
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 27: Referee Ashley Klein speaks with Joseph Manu of the Roosters after receiving a high tackle from Latrell Mitchell of the Rabbitohs during the round 24 NRL match between the Sydney Roosters and the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Suncorp Stadium on August 27, 2021, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Warea-Hargreaves suffered a flare up of a lower back injury as well as his hamstring, causing the fiery prop to withdraw from what could potentially have been his final All Stars match.
Carrying a recovery period of roughly a month, Manu will be racing the clock to prove his fitness for their Round 1 clash against the Dolphins, while ‘JWH’ is expected to be for the season opener.
They’re the second and third withdrawals from the Maori side in the last 24 hours, joining Wests Tigers back Starford To’a on the sidelines.
Forward Tukimihia Simpkins and Titans utility Paul Turner have been called into the squad, with a third replacement yet to be named.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 20: Albert Kelly of the Broncos runs the ball during the round two NRL match between the Canterbury Bulldogs and the Brisbane Broncos at Accor Stadium, on March 20, 2022, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Elsewhere, Ezra Mam and Chris Smith have joined Josh Addo-Carr and Will Smith in removing themselves from the match, with Daine Laurie, Isaiah Tass, Braydon Trindall and Albert Kelly called into the squad.
The All Stars clash is just a week out, with the two cultures set to clash at Rotorua International Stadium next Saturday.
Source:: ZeroTackle
