sport news Video of angry Manly star fuels claims clashes between teammates are tearing ... trends now
Manly's wounds have been exposed for all to see after a very public display of frustration from star Martin Taupau amid claims the Trbojevic brothers could walk out on the NRL club.
The club lost seven consecutive games to tumble out of finals contention after Josh Aloiai, Toafofoa Sipley, Tolutau Koula, Christian Tuipulotu, Haumole Olakau'atu, Jason Saab and Josh Schuster stood down from their match against the Sydney Roosters over the Pride jersey saga.
The curtain finally fell on the club's horror season when they were run down by the Bulldogs for another loss after leading 16-0 early on Friday night.
The signs that frustration and internal rifts and turmoil were plain to see in that match and and the side's round 23 loss to the Cronulla Sharks.
Departing prop Martin Taupau was routinely cut out and used as a decoy runner in the latter game, throwing his arms in the air in frustration.
While the 'Manly 7' cited religious and cultural reasons for refusing to play in the rainbow Pride jersey, proud Samoan man Taupau did play in that loss to the Roosters.
Taupau is off contract and was denied a mid-season move to Parramatta by the Sea Eagles with his future under a cloud.
Martin Taupau of the Sea Eagles celebrates scoring a try during the round 25 NRL match between the Canterbury Bulldogs and the Manly Sea Eagles at Accor Stadium
His was shared on social media by his daughter Ella before it was deleted as the pressure piles on the club.
'Manly lost cos my uso [brother] Marty didn't touch the ball for 20 fkn minutes' an anonymous TikTok account posted with footage of the Manly star being repeatedly cut out of play.
'That's how you know there's a rift amongst the group,' a follower replied.
'Manly supporter here. They've been doing that for weeks,' said another.
Taupau's frustrations come after crisis meetings between teammates earlier in the season that saw Jake Trbojevic desperately trying to pull the playing group together to save their campaign.
Now the likeable prop and his superstar
