LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
Manly's Josh Aloiai faces potential two-game sit-out for tripping incident
In a moment of back-field madness, a Manly enforcer may be sidelined for a brief spell after a controversial tripping incident caught the attention of the Rugby League authorities.
According to the folks at news.com.au, Josh Aloiai of the Sea Eagles is in danger of missing two upcoming matches due to a three-week suspension following his clumsy takedown of Penrith speedster Daine Laurie last Sunday.
Aloiai found himself in hot water after receiving a grade 2 dangerous contact charge for extending his leg and bringing down the Penrith fullback during the Panthers' victorious clash against Manly, which ended with a scoreline of 32-22 in favor of the Panthers.
If he decides to own up and take an early guilty plea, the tough penalty could potentially be reduced to just two games, marking the harshest punishment for a trip since Jackson Ford got the boot back in August 2020.
The timing of Aloiai's suspension couldn't be worse for the Sea Eagles, as they also have to contend with an injury scare involving Haumole Olakau'atu, a key player in their forward pack and a New South Wales representative in the State of Origin series.
Olakau'atu was forced to exit the field in the 23rd minute of the same game, and despite not making a comeback in the second half, Manly's head coach Anthony Seibold remains optimistic that the injury isn't too serious.
"I've been assured that it's nothing major, but there was a risk of aggravating it if we had kept him out there," Seibold reassured amidst concerns over Olakau'atu's fitness.