It’s bad news for the Manly Sea Eagles, who only recently have been dealt a very important blow. Unfortunately, their star forward, Haumole Olakau’atu, will miss the remainder of the season due to a shoulder injury. On top of that, he only recently popped the same shoulder last fall. This latest injury will cast a big pall on Manly’s campaign. Olakau’atu hurt the leg in a preliminary final against Canterbury. He made a desperate late tackle on Viliame Kikau early in the second half that left him wincing in unmistakable distress.
It raised concerns, especially given his critical role in the team, as Olakau’atu’s return to play this year remains uncertain. The medical staff have assessed that he faces a 90 percent risk of aggravating the injury should he attempt to play again this season. Following the game, Manly’s coach, Anthony Seibold, confirmed that Olakau’atu would not return this year, stating that the decision was made with careful consideration of his health and future career.
Impact on the Team
Olakau’atu‘s absence will undoubtedly be felt as a big hit to Manly’s on-field product this year. As arguably the team’s most essential forward, his Olympics experience and talent on the pitch make him invaluable. The Sea Eagles displayed vulnerability during recent matches, particularly as Canterbury capitalized on Olakau’atu’s exit by scoring five unanswered tries after halftime.
Seibold knew a catastrophic event was at stake. Without Olakau’atu, he suggested, the team would have a hard time maintaining the level of competitiveness they had reached. He stated, “For a player of his quality and standing in our team, we wanted to take that risk.” This imposed risk has now transformed into a major liability.
Manly won all three games in Olakau’atu’s absence. He might be in a tough situation because the coach understands that it’s going to be hard to win without him again. Taniela Paseka’s ongoing absence through injury only worsens this issue, leaving the forward pack dangerously undermanned.
Future Considerations
For Seibold and the coaching staff, the priority now shifts to recalibrating their approach. They’ll have to shuffle player rotations to compensate for Olakau’atu’s absence. Watching intensely while we filmed during the training that preceded each game. They saw what other players did to help fill the void Olakau’atu left in the lineup.
Seibold stressed the importance of adaptability to their game plan. The changes that we implemented two days leading up to the game were imperative because we were not producing the correct outcomes. The team will need to rely on its depth and toughness. Like the Saints, they must navigate the rest of their season without one of their best players.
The ongoing crisis has opened up conversations about player safety and how to better deal with injuries at the professional level. After evaluating Olakau’atu’s condition, the medical team. Their evaluation lends credence to the idea that teams are becoming more sensitive to the long-term consequences of repeated injuries.
