Manly's pain from Friday night's preliminary-final loss is more than likely to extend into 2022, with prop Josh Aloiai facing at least a three-match ban.
Aloiai has been cited for a dangerous throw on Mark Nicholls and was handed a grade-two charge on Saturday after upending the Souths prop in the 36-16 loss.
Even with an early guilty plea he will miss three matches, but if he fights it and loses the ban will go into round four.
Aloiai will not be eligible to serve the ban in Manly's preseason trial matches, as only select games count towards bans under the current rules.
It's a frustrating end to what has been a stop-start season for Aloiai.
He arrived at the Sea Eagles after an ugly split with Wests Tigers last November, which included a public falling out with club management.
He then missed 10 weeks for Manly with a wrist injury that required surgery, before copping a one-game ban in his return match.
That trend is now set to continue into next season.
