Josh Aloiai

Sea Eagles confirm forward’s season over, winger to spend time on sideline

The Sea Eagles likely need to win at least four from five to qualify for the finals.

Published by
Scott Pryde

The Manly Sea Eagles have confirmed Josh Aloiai's season is over, while Christian Tuipulotu is likely to return before the end of the regular season.

The club have also confirmed that Sean Keppie, who will miss this weekend's Round 23 clash with the Sydney Roosters with a back spasm, will be on track to return the following week against the Penrith Panthers.

Aloiai last played in Round 21 against the Cronulla Sharks where he suffered a shoulder dislocation - the same injury that had already hampered him this season.

While the club said last week that they were aiming to put Aloiai through shoulder management for the remainder of the campaign, he has now succumbed to the injury and will undergo a full shoulder reconstruction.

It means the prop's season is over, and that he will likely only just be fit in time for the start of pre-season in November when Manly will begin preparations for their second season under Anthony Seibold.

Their first season in the post-Des Hasler era is teetering on the brink, but the club are still a show of making the finals, with four wins from the final five games - against the Sydney Roosters, Penrith Panthers, New Zealand Warriors, Canterbury Bulldogs and Wests Tigers - likely to be the requirement.

Tuipulotu will miss at least the games against the Roosters and Panthers as he battles through a Grade 2 MCL injury sustained against the St George Illawarra Dragons last week.

There is also a chance the winger will miss the game against the New Zealand Warriors in Round 25, but he should be back on deck at the very least for the final two games of the campaign against the Bulldogs and Tigers, as well as finals if Manly manage to scrape in.

Published by
Scott Pryde