Manly’s injury-interrupted season has continued with centre Steve Matai likely to miss Friday’s NRL blockbuster against South Sydney with an ankle injury.

Matai left the field in the 67th minute of Manly’s hard-fought 8-6 win over North Queensland on Saturday night, with scans on Monday revealing he suffered severe bruising but no serious structural damage.

While the club said they’ll leave a decision on whether he faces the in-form Rabbitohs until later in the week, it seems unlikely the fourth-placed Sea Eagles will risk the Kiwi international for the clash in Gosford as they build towards their premiership defence.

Fullback Brett Stewart was the last of the Sea Eagles’ big-name players to return to the field against the Cowboys after brother Glenn, second-rower Tony Williams and five-eighth Kieran Foran had trickled back to action from injuries in recent weeks.

Manly are expected to be without Darcy Lussick for Friday’s clash, with the prop set to miss two matches for a grade two striking charge on Cowboy Ashton Sims.

Lussick has two prior offences, placing him in a difficult position where he could miss three matches if he fights the charge and loses.