Manly could rest Daly Cherry-Evans in the lead-up to the NRL finals, as the star halfback attempts to recover from a demanding State Of Origin schedule and an ongoing knee injury.
He bravely overcame the injury to play in Origin II but admitted he had struggled with the strenuous demands of the interstate representative series.
Cherry-Evans has moved to the bench for Queensland for Wednesday's Game III at Suncorp Stadium with Cooper Cronk's return but his knee remains a problem.
Sea Eagles captain Jamie Lyon conceded on Tuesday that Cherry-Evans might be in need of a break.
"I would say he might get a rest over the next few weeks," Lyon said.
"It depends how his knee is and how his body is feeling in general.
"I'm sure that is something that will be thought of down the track. We will just have to see how he is.
"We haven't seen too much of him because he has been in (Queensland) camp.
"He will be enjoying things with Queensland and, hopefully, he can come back and play some really good footy for us."
Cherry-Evans played in the Sea Eagles' round-15 demolition of Cronulla on the Saturday after Origin II.
But he faces an even shorter turnaround for Manly's round-18 clash with the Wests Tigers at Brookvale Oval on Friday.
"I'm not sure if he will play. He might be given a few days off and then get back into things," Manly centre Steve Matai said of the Maroons' playmaker.
NSW back-rower Anthony Watmough will sit out the match against Wests as part of his four-game suspension for a dangerous throw in Origin II on Nate Myles.
Winger Jorge Taufua remains a 50/50 proposition due to an ankle injury, with Clinton Gutherson his likely replacement after a strong effort from the 19-year-old in Manly's last-start loss to Canterbury in just his second NRL game.
Back-rower Glenn Stewart remains a month away from his return from an ankle injury suffered in late April.
Share
