Representative star ruled out for the rest of the NRL season after ankle surgery.
The Manly Sea Eagles will be pushing for another NRL premiership this year but they will be doing it without one of their best players and favourite sons.
Glenn Stewart will not see another second of action this year or for his beloved Sea Eagles after the backrower went under the knife on Thursday after suffering a setback in his rehabilitation.
After being out of action since April, the latest blow rules out any slim chance Manly coach Geoff Toovey had of picking the Kangaroos star for a last game in front of the Sea Eagles’ faithful at Brookvale Oval, when they host the Penrith Panthers thee this weekend.
“It’s very disappointing for the club and for Glenn,” Toovey said.
“He is a Clive Churchill Medal winner, played in grand finals … an Australian player … it would have been great to see him run out at Brookvale Oval again in the maroon and white.”
The news came as a shock to many of Stewart’s closest friends on the team with Steve Matai saying it will be strange to see his long-time teammate run out in a South Sydney Rabbitohs jersey next season.
“Glenn is a really good mate of mine, it’s real sad he won’t get to put the jumper on again.
“He’s a big part of the culture here. We’ve been playing together for the last 10-11 years.
“He brings a lot to that (culture). He’s a great ballplayer, a great defender and he’ll be sadly missed.”
Jorge Taufua paid tribute to Stewart for the role he played in turning him from a fringe first-grader into one of the best outside backs in the NRL.
“Glenn is a big part of our team and it’s disappointing he won’t be here to finish our season. We miss him already,” Taufua said.
“Gifty (Stewart) and (Jason King) Kingy have been a big part of my development here and I would have loved to have played again with the both of them for a last time.”
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