Tolutau Koula faces a longer wait to replace Tom Trbojevic in Manly's No.1 jersey after the teenage speedster was left out of the Sea Eagles' updated squad to face Newcastle.
Koula was named earlier to step into Trbojevic's big boots with the megastar beginning his month-long recovery from knee surgery.
But that will now be pushed back until at least next week against Gold Coast, with Koula believed to have minor niggles and Manly playing it cautious on the short turnaround.
Reuben Garrick will instead play fullback with the 19-year-old Koula a shock omission from Manly's updated team sheet on Wednesday night.
Brad Parker is also back from COVID-19 at centre and Christian Tuipulotu will play on the wing.
It came just hours after coach Des Hasler praised the youngster's football nous on backing him to wear the No.1.
"He's just got talent and the ability," Hasler said.
"And there's just that points or something that can happen around him.
"He's got all the requirements to be able to create options, to be able to create points and fast play-the-balls and linebreaks.
"He's got all those athletic requirements, but his footy IQ has really improved as well and he has worked hard at it."
A noted speedster with the pedigree to be the fastest man in the NRL, Koula played both fullback and centre growing up.
He wore the No.1 jersey in Manly's under-16s Harold Matthews Cup premiership-winning side in 2018, and was groomed as a back-up for Trbojevic while filling in at fullback during the pre-season.
"I played a bit of both growing up," Koula told AAP.
"I trained a bit at fullback during the pre-season just as an extra number. I learned a lot off Tommy just being able to pick his brain at training.
"Tom is the best player in the world. Hopefully I get to half his level."
The son of two three-time Olympians, Manly can thank the Sydney Olympics for gifting them a natural talent.
His parents Tolutau and Anna both competed for Tonga in athletics at Barcelona, Atlanta and Sydney.
So impressed by Sydney in 2000, they decided to move across the Pacific Ocean.
By the time Tolutau Jr was born in 2002, his father was a Manly fan after setting up their family in Mascot.
The teenager's own sprinting ability is well known, setting the AAGPS record with a 100-metre time of 10.58 seconds as a 17-year-old.
But it was one of the last occasions he ran competitively, instead putting his focus on both rugby and league before taking up a spot in Manly's full-time squad last year.
"It's pretty special to have parents who have done that, they really helped me along with my career," Koula said.
"I really enjoyed competing at track and field from a young age, but the older I got and around high school I realised I wasn't too passionate about it.
"I just found myself more passionate about playing rugby and I really enjoyed my footy."
Manly did confirm earlier on Wednesday that Daly Cherry-Evans had extended his contract until the end of 2025, ensuring he will finish his career at Brookvale.
Australian Associated Press
