A Sydney Roosters star produced one of the strangest rehearsal assists of the season on Saturday, but not everyone was happy.
Roosters quarterback Joey Manu produced one of the strangest try assists of the season against the Dragons on Saturday.
Manu ran back to chase a whimsical pass, but after picking up the ball he stopped and grabbed his left leg, looking wounded.
However, a split second later took off and exploded through a gap between Blake Lawrie and Billy Burns, before putting up a goal for Paul Momirovski to score.
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“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 created an attempt for Momirovski, ”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 suggested that Manu pushed the pain barrier instead of intentionally fooling the Dragons’ defenders.
“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 told the Fox League after the match that it was a pre-existing injury, but admitted he was also receiving it.
“My calf has been a bit tight over the last few weeks, but it was also a bit of continuity,” Manu said.
Roosters winger Joseph Suaali, who was being interviewed alongside Manu, countered this version and said it was a cramp due to poor nutrition.
“I think before the game I was eating KFC, I wasn’t eating the right food, so talk to the dietitian,” Suaali said.
Roosters skipper James Tedesco loved it and said he could use the trick himself.
“I don’t know if it was a plan, but it worked. I don’t know where it got it from, but it took the brand off and it was fantastic, it worked well,” Tedesco said.
“I may have to take it out, but I’ll probably hit myself in the back.”
Originally posted as “What did he do there?”: The Roosters star fools everyone, as the “fake injury” creates an impressive attempt.