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Manly launch probe into home ground knee injuries

And the club have now vowed to investigate whether the ground has been a factor in any of the injuries.

"We're certainly doing a detailed analysis on those injuries as well as on our own playing squad and their history of injuries before we can make a better assessment," Manly chief executive Lyall Gorman said.

We're also interested in visiting clubs and what's happened with them when they come to play here

Lyall Gorman

"We're also interested in visiting clubs and what's happened with them when they come to play here, but three in as many games certainly seems a lot. We just want to better analyse whether [the ground] is contributing towards that or not."

Lottoland is one of the oldest suburban grounds in the NRL and its major tenant, the Sea Eagles, will only play once at the venue between now and mid-July. They will take games on the road to Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium and Christchurch's AMI Stadium in coming weeks.

Northern Beaches Council owns Lottoland and grants the Sea Eagles a licence to operate out of the venue, which has been crying out for a cash injection to bring it up to modern-day standards.

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Super Rugby's NSW Waratahs will play a rare home match at the venue this week when they host the Blues on Saturday night.

Northern Beaches Council mayor Michael Regan couldn't be reached for comment on Monday.

Struggling to field 21 fit players given an overflowing casualty ward, Manly on Monday officially asked the NRL for dispensation to hand Suli his Sea Eagles debut.

The 19-year-old, who was released by both Wests Tigers and Canterbury over summer having failed to meet required standards, has flourished at Manly in the lower grades after being handed a lifeline by Barrett.

But he's only on a development contract at the club and needs permission from the NRL to reignite his career on the peninsula against Sydney Roosters at Allianz Stadium on Sunday.

Recall: Jackson Hastings.

Jackson Hastings looms as one of a number of candidates for Barrett as he tries to solve the five-eighth headache and will be named in the Sea Eagles' 21-man squad on Tuesday.

It comes just a fortnight after Barrett conceded Hastings could spend the rest of the season in the Intrust Super Premiership with Blacktown after alleged differences with some of the Sea Eagles playing group and an altercation with captain Daly Cherry-Evans in Gladstone.

But despite being certain to feature in the Sea Eagles extended squad, Hastings will need to make the final 17 later in the week to cap one of the most bizarre NRL recalls, against his former club no less.

Dylan Walker, who was tried at No.6 for the Sea Eagles shortly after shifting to the club before reverting to the centres, looms as another five-eighth option for Barrett if he is reluctant to rush Hastings back into the halves alongside Cherry-Evans.

And he could have an outside back replacement in Suli.

Sea Eagles officials stressed both Hastings and Cherry-Evans can play alongside each other should the situation arise.

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Adam Pengilly

Adam Pengilly is a Sports reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.

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