The Manly Sea Eagles have provided an injury update on rookie outside back Lehi Hopoate as he is set to spend over a month on the sidelines.
Heading into the back end of the season, the Sea Eagles will have to reshuffle their backline yet again as they look to cement their spot in the top-eight - they are in fifth position with 25 points.
However, their run to the finals will be without star rookie Lehi Hopoate after he sustained an "orbital fracture around the eye socket".
The injury is set to see him miss at least four weeks of football as the 19-year-old recovers from his first NRL injury.
"I think it's an orbital fracture around the eye socket. I am told it will be four or five weeks,'' said coach Anthony Seibold after the match.
"It's really disappointing for Lehi, because it is his sixth or seventh game in the NRL. He's really improved over that period of time.
"We will be without him, which is disappointing. We will miss him, because he has been really good over the past month and a half."
Jaxon Paulo seemed the obvious replacement for Hopoate after spending the past few weeks in the NSW Cup.
However, Seibold confirmed that the club will go in a different direction revealing Clayton Faulalo and Ben Trbojevic will be the two options to replace him.
"Clayton is obviously there," Seibold added.
"I thought Benny Trbojevic was outstanding in the second half playing left centre.
"They're two really good options for us. They will be the two options."
Lehi Hopoate is expected to miss at least 4 weeks after suffering an eye socket fracture.
Telling moment - he blew his nose & eye swelled up significantly. Effectively confirms a fracture. The puffing up is air that builds up in the nose/sinuses & escapes through the fracture. pic.twitter.com/5jrbjH2bKz
— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) July 22, 2024