Manly’s early-season woes have been compounded with news senior prop Brenton Lawrence requires back surgery that will sideline him for most of the 2015 NRL season.

Lawrence, who has been a revelation since his low-key arrival from the Gold Coast in 2013, will go under the knife later this week.

He’s one of only three forwards who played in the grand final two years ago still at the club with Anthony Watmough, Glenn Stewart, David Gower, Brent Kite and George Rose all since moving on.

Former co-captain Jason King retired at the end of last season leaving the Sea Eagles’ forwards stocks very thin.

In addition to the loss of Lawrence, former South Sydney front-rower Josh Starling will miss at least a month of action after re-injuring his medial ligaments in Saturday’s defeat by St George Illawarra.

Starling was one of three players forced out of the 12-4 loss in Wollongong with Feleti Mateo injuring his ankle and knee in an awkward tackle and skipper Jamie Lyon battling a groin strain.

Mateo is awaiting the results of a scan but is rated as extremely doubtful for Saturday’s trip to Albury to face Canberra.

Lyon will be assessed later this week and is likely to be named in the side to face the Raiders on Tuesday.

Winger Jorge Taufua will start running this week as he continues his recovery from a knee injury and talismanic centre Steve Matai will undergo a fitness test that will determine his availability before the team travels to the NSW-Victoria border town on Friday.

The Sea Eagles’ defeat by the Dragons saw them slump to their worst start to a season since 2009 when Des Hasler’s side lost the opening five games of their premiership defence before recovering to finish fifth.