Manly star Glenn Stewart certain to miss Friday's night's rematch against Wests Tigers recruit Adam Blair.
Stewart and Manly centre Steve Matai are set to be sidelined long-term with five-eighth Kieran Foran also poised to miss the Tigers game.
Utility player Ben Farrar won't play again this NRL season, meaning more than $1m of Manly talent will be sidelined after only one round.
Stewart was due to have X-rays on an injured finger last night with the results to be known early this morning. Sea Eagles officials are resigned to losing him for up to six weeks.
Matai has a hand injury and he too could be out for six games, with officials to know more about the injury today.
Foran sustained a lower leg injury during Sunday's match against New Zealand and was spotted yesterday wearing a moonboot. It would take a miracle for him to be fit for Friday evening.
Stewart and Blair engaged in the now infamous sideline fight during a round-26 match at Brookvale last year, with both players being suspended for three games.
While Blair never played for Melbourne again, Stewart returned for Manly's grand final win.
Stewart hurt his finger during the early minutes of Sunday's 26-20 at Eden Park. Twice he came to the sideline for treatment. Showing considerable courage though, he played on and ended up scoring the match-winning try in the 71st minute.
The Daily Telegraph spied Foran outside the Manly dressing room on Sunday - he could barely walk.
And in a further blow to Manly, utility player Farrar hurt his knee on the weekend and could miss the entire season. Farrar rejoined the Sea Eagles from Catalans this year but injured himself in Saturday's NSW Cup game against Western Suburbs at Lidcombe Oval.
New coach Geoff Toovey will have to dig deep to cover Matai and Stewart. He may look at bringing centre Dean Whare into his backline for Matai or use young centre Jorge Taufua. Taufua, signed from Parramatta, was chosen in Manly's 18-man squad for the Warriors game but was cut before kick-off.
Toovey may in fact play both and shift Jamie Lyon to five-eighth for Foran.
As for Stewart's replacement, Toovey may opt for Joe Galuavo, who is expected to return this week from an achilles injury.
Stewart's creativity will be sorely missed.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/manly-sea-eagles-star-glenn-stewart-to-miss-grudge-match-with-tigers-adam-blair/story-e6frexnr-1226289978743