Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles were too strong for a gallant Wests Tigers side at Campbelltown Sports Stadium.
MATCHDAY RESULTS
SCOREBOARD
Wests Tigers 4
Tries: Luke Garner (34)
Goals:
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 30
Tries: Josh Aloiai (17, 77), Reuben Garrick (54), Haumole Olakau’atu (61), Tolutau Koula (74)
Goals: Reuben Garrick (18, 55, 66, 75, 78)
MATCH REPORT
Embed from Getty ImagesSummary
Life under interim Wests Tigers coach Brett Kimmorley has started dramatically with Brent Naden sent off in a disappointing 30-4 loss to Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.
Naden lifted Jake Trbojevic in making a tackle in the 65th minute with the NSW selection hopeful landing on the side of his neck.
It wasn’t a good afternoon for Naden who was forced from the field under the HIA protocols just before half-time when his head made contact with the hip of Haumole Olakau’atu in attempting a tackle.
Olakau’atu was the star for Manly with his try twenty minutes from full-time giving Manly a comfortable 16-4 lead. He made 162 metres with 10 tackle busts.
For the majority of the first forty minutes the home side were in the contest and battled well to trail 6-4 at half-time after Luke Garner scored five minutes from the break following Joe Ofahengue’s offload in a tackle.
They were also denied earlier in the piece after Ken Maumalo made a break down the touchline to force a goal line dropout, Naden dropped the ball over the line in what would have been the first points of the afternoon.
Manly to their credit scored first through Josh Aloiai with a pass back on the inside by Trbojevic on a clear path to the line.
They could have led by more at the break had it not been for Josh Schuster’s pass to an unmarked Jason Saab being called forward by referee Peter Gough.
Wests Tigers might have had the best chance to snatch the early second half lead with David Nofoaluma’s intercept coming to nothing.
But it was the Sea Eagles who grew in confidence without captain Daly Cherry-Evans who ran in three tries to nil after the break. Reuben Garrick’s tenth try of the season gave Manly a 12-4 advantage before Olakau’atu scored.
After Naden’s send off the Sea Eagles scored twice with Tolutau Koula’s first try in the top grade, and Aloiai crossed for his second.
Manly move to ninth spot following the win, outside the top eight on points differential with the Sydney Roosters. Wests Tigers will find it tough to make finals footy with their tenth loss of the season.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR POINTS
Embed from Getty Images3 pts – Haumole Olakau’atu (Sea Eagles), 2 pts – Keiran Foran (Sea Eagles), 1 pt – Josh Aloiai (Sea Eagles)
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