Brandon Smith’s much-anticipated comeback from an anterior cruciate ligament tear ended in disappointment, as the South Sydney recruit suffered another knee injury during the Rabbitohs’ 30-12 defeat to Manly at Brookvale Oval.

While Tom Trbojevic displayed glimpses of regaining peak form at centre, Smith sustained a medial ligament tear that Souths predict will sideline him for eight weeks.

Smith’s right knee was injured when Matt Lodge’s weight came down on it during a tackle towards the end of the match, as the Rabbitohs fell to their sixth consecutive loss on Sunday, placing them second-last on the ladder.

Smith was playing his first match since early September, after moving from the Sydney Roosters earlier this year.

Asked whether he believed the contact from Lodge was of a hip-drop nature, Bennett suggested Souths were unlucky not to get a penalty from it.

‘It’s up to them to decide, but we’re not playing with a lot of luck, and we didn’t get any there from that decision either,’ Bennett responded.

‘I’m frustrated by a lot of things right now, but it’s not going to do me any good.’

Lodge was not penalised for the contact and Smith’s injury overshadowed what was a vital win for Manly, albeit against a severely undermanned Rabbitohs.

Bennett wasn’t the only one who appeared frustrated by the lack of action by the officials.

Fox Sports commentator, Warren Smith, said: ‘That’s a hip drop tackle.’

Steve Roach agreed, before Smith began to rant about the tackle.

‘He had contact with him, came from one side of the tackle to use the hip or the body on the other side to make contact with Brandon Smith,’ he said.

‘It’s a play we haven’t rubbed out of the game and the suspensions need to be six weeks, eight weeks, 10 weeks to get rid of it.

‘That technique didn’t need to happen right there to effect the tackle. Who knows how serious the consequences might be for Brandon Smith?’

Some fans on social media hit out at the tackle technique.

‘Manly fan here, Lodge should miss a minimum of six weeks for that,’ one wrote.

‘Hip drop no doubt, how’s the bunker missed that,’ another wrote.

‘Refs are a joke for saying play on,’ one added.

‘Hip drop tackle but nothing done on the field. Shameful reffing and watch the NRL apologise for getting it wrong.’

It was only two weeks ago that the walls were closing in on coach Anthony Seibold, but the Sea Eagles are now back into the top eight after back-to-back wins.

Two games into his shift from fullback to centre, Trbojevic scored a double and set up another as Manly went out to a 24-0 lead.

Seibold will consider whether to keep Trbojevic at centre after next week’s bye, after initially moving his strike weapon to the edge in a bid to get his confidence back.

Trbojevic appears to have at least done that, running with power again in what was easily his best match since March.

He regularly played a roaming role in attack, popping up on the left of the field to give Manly an extra number on that side of the field in attack.

The 27-year-old set up one try in that fashion when he linked with Lehi Hopoate to send Reuben Garrick over, before scoring another himself after forcing an error on a kick.

It was Trbojevic’s second try after the break that showed the most promise, when he again took a ball on the left, charged infield and beat three to score.

‘The way he was able to inject himself on both sides of the field is not something a lot of centres can do,’ Seibold said.

‘He’s done it at elite level, hasn’t done it at club level. But I’ve really liked what I’ve seen.

‘I want to have a look at (whether we’re a better team with him at centre). My gut feel is it was another step in the right direction.’

Garrick also scored a double in the win, while Manly are confident fellow winger Jason Saab only suffered a cork after limping off late.