Jarryd Hayne insists he had not been rushed back early from a hip injury, as the Parramatta star faces up to another six weeks on the NRL sidelines.
Hayne injured his same hip in Sunday's return match from a three-week layoff. He is expected to miss a further four to six weeks.
But despite never having had any hip injuries, Hayne maintained the two matters weren't related and he was fit to come back to play for the Manly clash in place of Bevan French.
"It was my call at the end of the day to play," he said.
"I was out there for an hour-and-a-half session (training last week) and got through it - didn't feel anything.
"I was ready to go. I kind of just got caught in a couple of positions that put too much pressure on different parts of the hip. It wasn't even the part I injured.
"It felt good ... The old injury is fine, but it's a different part."
Hayne's second injury of the season has capped off a tough start to his Parramatta return.
The subject of pre-season scrutiny, Hayne's involvement has been well down in his four games in the centres and on the wing and he is yet to score a try back in Eels' colours.
Glowingly received by fans in the opening rounds, Hayne also indicated he was in no rush to decide his future as he remained unsigned beyond this year at his childhood club.
"It's been a bit of a rollercoaster," he said.
"But you've got to take the punches as they come and do everything I can to get back out on the field."
The loss of Hayne for Sunday's clash with the Wests Tigers is somewhat offset by the return of French, who is confident he has fully overcome a shoulder injury.
Like Hayne, French re-injured his shoulder the previous week on the wing against Canberra.
But after sitting out the Sea Eagles win, French is ready to play on Sunday at ANZ Stadium.
"I had injections that were meant to numb it for the whole game (against Canberra)," French said.
"I just got caught in a weird position and felt it in the first half.
"But the body is better than what it was a few weeks ago now."
