Big names return in NRL as injured Manly duo back up
Manly have handed the captaincy to Luke Brooks and asked several players to back up after injuries while scrambling to field a team against South Sydney.
On a team-list Tuesday of big returnees across the NRL, the Sea Eagles were forced to list their most depleted side of the season to face the Rabbitohs on Saturday.
The club confirmed front-row leader Taniela Paseka was set for surgery on a fractured thumb, while Reuben Garrick is out with concussion.
In total, Manly have eight players out to injury, two under suspension or NRL stand-down and three in State of Origin camps.
But there was some good news at Brookvale, with forwards Toff Sipley and Corey Waddell both named to play following injuries suffered in Sunday's win over St George Illawarra.
Sipley has been named to start at prop after leaving the field early against the Dragons with a medial ligament injury in his knee, while Waddell will play back row following ankle issues.
Coach Anthony Seibold has opted to play utility hooker Karl Lawton at halfback in place of Queensland captain Daly Cherry-Evans, while naming Brooks as stand-in skipper in his first season at the club.
It means Manly only had to name one debutant, forward Caleb Navale, on the bench, with Gordon Chan Kum Tong, Ben Condon and Aitasi James all coming into the side.
That will be a welcome relief for the Sea Eagles, who face a rising Souths side missing Latrell Mitchell and Cameron Murray to NSW duties.
There was good news at other clubs.
Melbourne star Ryan Papenhuyzen is back after missing five games with an ankle injury, pushing Sua Faalogo to the wing in place of Queensland Origin flyer Xavier Coates.
The Storm will face a Dolphins side that has Jesse Bromwich back, while Tevita Pangai Junior is listed on the bench for his first game since last year's aborted retirement.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is back from a hamstring injury for the Warriors' clash with Gold Coast and will play centre in a backline that is missing Dallin Watene-Zelezniak to suspension.
David Fifita returns from an ankle injury for the Titans, after sitting out their loss to Wests Tigers.
Brandon Smith will play for the Sydney Roosters after being dropped last week for missing a team meeting, while Dom Young returns on the wing with Junior Pauga listed in the centres for Saturday's match against Canterbury.
The Bulldogs are still without Josh Addo-Carr with a long-term hamstring injury, but have star backrower Viliame Kikau on their extended bench as he battles to return from a finger injury.
Bulldogs forward Josh Curran is fit again after a concussion, while second--rower Jacob Preston is an outside chance of returning in round 17 against Cronulla after his ankle injury.
And playmaker Lachlan Galvin is back for Wests Tigers, allowing Api Koroisau to return to hooker and pushing Tallin de Silva to the bench.
