Joey Manu’s brutal double injury revealed as Roosters tame last-placed Tigers

Joey Manu faces an abrupt end to his rugby career after suffering two fractures to his left hand during the Sydney Roosters’ 40-6 win over Wests Tigers.

Manu immediately felt pain when he tried to hold off Adam Doueihi in the first half on Sunday evening, grabbing his left hand as he left the field.

Initial indications were that the rugby star had been on a break, which typically sees players ruled out for at least a month.

“It’s a broken hand,” Roosters coach Trent Robinson confirmed after the match.

‘I didn’t see him (in the sheds) but I think he went to get it fixed or looked at it straight away. It’s a broken hand, which is disappointing.

“I was hoping it was a cork or a windup because I couldn’t see it properly, but as soon as you saw the replay and saw his hand, you knew it wasn’t right.”

A statement from the club on Monday morning said: ‘Scans have confirmed that Joseph Manu has suffered two fractures to his left hand.

“He will undergo surgery and will be able to play again in about a month.”

Manu’s injury was the only downside to a dominant night for the Roosters, with James Tedesco shining by scoring a try and kicking three others.

The home team went from 0-0 to 16-0 in a span of seven minutes, without the Tigers touching the ball. Tedesco was especially dangerous in midfield.

He helped create the space for Manu to pass Dom Young over for the Roosters’ first, before breaking through the middle during play ahead of the winger’s second.

Tedesco also crossed for Daniel Tupou to score on the left wing after the break, before breaking through to score his own ball with the Tigers down to 11 men.

Luke Keary also had a good night, crossing for his own team and firing to an unmarked Tupou, who scored again later in the second half.

The Tigers are now back in last place and look nothing like the team that won the previous two games.

They lacked attacking power and only scored in the final minute, while Aidan Sezer’s poor tackle just before a Terrell May try in the first half decided their match.

Api Koroisau and Adam Doueihi were both on the penalty bench for a dangerous throw and a tackle with a hip throw respectively, while John Bateman can also lose time for a high tackle.

Manu’s fractures are a heavy blow for a club already struggling with injuries

Tigers coach Benji Marshall insisted afterwards that Doueihi should not have been thrown off for his tackle on Young.

“I don’t know what he’s going to do,” Marshall said.

‘Sol (Faataape) puts in a good shot, sends (Young) backwards and Doueihi is just underneath. It was a bit loud.

“It’s hard to know. It’s a lottery right now and it looks like we’re on the wrong side.

“And Api’s could have gone either way. They were a bit harsh.”

But the biggest concern of the match remains Manu, who is playing his final season with the Roosters before moving to Japanese rugby.

His injury puts even more pressure on the Roosters’ already weakened defensive line.

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has one game left to serve on his State of Origin suspension, while Fetalaiga Pauga has been suspended for a further three games.

Billy Smith (ankle), Robert Toia (knee) and Lewis Murphy (scaphoid) are also sidelined.

The Roosters had Sitili Tupouniua playing at center against the Tigers, while Michael Jennings returned from a hamstring injury via the NSW Cup on Saturday.

The club hopes to sign Mark Nawaqanitase from rugby after the Olympics, but the Roosters have no plans to include him in their NRL squad.