Joey Manu appeared to be injured before the Dragons’ defense exploded and set up a try for the Roosters. Image: Getty / Fox Sports
Roosters quarterback Joseph Manu has been condemned by NRL fans after a questionable play against the Dragons that some have called “embarrassing” and “unsportsmanlike.”
Manu made an amazing individual performance to inspire the Roosters to a quick 54-26 win over St George Illawarra that broke a four-game losing streak while keeping their hopes of the NRL final alive.
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The win at Gosford came at a huge cost to the Tri-Colors, however, with Billy Smith (ACL), Sitili Tupouniua (ACL) and Siosiua Taukeiaho (pomules) with serious injuries.
With Luke Keary still missing from a concussion, Manu advanced to the eighth for the fourth time in his career and occupied the headlines with an extraordinary display that included two attempts and a couple of assists.
However, it was one of those four that Manu set up for Paul Momirovski that split NRL fans, after the game creator appeared to feign an injury during preparation.
Manu has stepped back to take a loose pass before almost stopping as he grabbed by the leg as if to indicate that he was suffering an injury.
Before the Dragons’ defense realized, Manu took off and ran through a gap between Blake Lawrie and Billy Burns, before throwing a kick for Momirovski to touch to try.
“Oh, not the knee, wait, Manu, what have you done? He sold the mannequin with a knee injury, it’s a fake knee injury that set in motion a test for Momirovski, ”commentator Andrew Voss told Fox League.
“We have all stopped, the doctor is almost out and Manu has taken off to prepare for the trial.
“What a beauty, Manu, the ramp, the fiber, then take off to prepare for the test.”
Co-commentator Shane Flanagan was willing to give Manu the benefit of the doubt, suggesting he could have overcome the pain barrier, rather than being run over by an injury.
The story goes on
“I don’t know if it’s a fake injury, I think he had a ramp, he saw the open space and he said,‘ I have to take it, whether I have a ramp or not, ’” Flanagan said.
“He feels like a ramp appears in the back of his calf and then takes off.”
Manu revealed after the match that he did have a pre-existing injury, but admitted that he acted a bit before preparing for the rehearsal.
“My calf has been a bit tight over the last few weeks, but it was also a bit of continuity,” Manu said.
Some fans praised Manu for the impressive act of deception, while others insisted it was a bad sport for the Roosters star.
Joey Manu’s master class inspires Roosters
Manu came in first through the middle of the park and threw the ball to Victor Radley, who opened the Roosters’ account against the streak of play.
Five minutes later, Manu forced an abandonment with a shot in the goal area, and took full advantage of the next field position moving from the middle.
In the first half, Manu’s efforts were matched by Dragons captain Ben Hunt.
Hunt brought his home-state heroism to the Central Coast, coming out of the Roosters ’goal line defense for the Dragons’ first attempt and then getting a perfect 40/20-inch kick to lay the groundwork. of the second.
The Roosters ’hopes of getting back to work in the game were met once when Smith got on his knee, forcing Manu to switch between halves and the outside bottom line.
The tight end threatened to shift in favor of the Tricolors when the Dragons ’assist Aaron Woods was turned down to get the ball out to Sam Walker when he shot from distance early in the second half.
The Dragons scored first while they were with a man down, but Manu’s second attempt from half-time was the impetus for a five-minute raise that produced two more tries for the Roosters and finally sealed the victory.
Roosters quarterback Joseph Manu runs with the ball in the round 18 game against the Dragons in the LNR. Image: Getty
The floodgates opened with the defense of the Dragons capitulating once the Roosters found their rhythm.
Playing at five-eighths, Manu set up the Roosters ’eighth try with a kick for Paul Momirovski and got a well-deserved starting mark.
“I’m very lucky to coach guys like‘ Teddy ’(winger James Tedesco) and Joey,” Roosters coach Trent Robinson said.
“You don’t have to train them much. They know the game better than you. You have to create an environment for them to act, that will be our job.”
with AAP
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