The Manly Sea Eagles finish over the top of the Sydney Roosters in this intense and physical encounter.
Result
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 18
Tries: (3) Daly Cherry-Evans 26th, 37th; Ben Trbojevic 70th
Goals: (3) Reuben Garrick 28th, 39th, 71st
Sydney Roosters 16
Tries: (3) Junior Pauga 22nd, James Tedesco 31st, Joseph Manu 45th
Goals: (2) Sandon Smith 33rd, 47th
Report
A try double to captain Daly Cherry-Evans led the Manly Sea Eagles to a hard fought win in front of their home faithful, downing the Sydney Roosters 18-16 in an hard fought clash.
Both sides were looking for the chance to bounce back from their last start losses and stay in touch with the top eight. The Roosters lost two members of their backline when Billy Smith and Joseph Suaalii both sustained head knocks at training, being replaced by Junior Pauga and Corey Allan.
Goalkicking proved the difference between the two sides, with Reuben Garrick converting all three of his chances, with rookie halfback Sandon Smith missing one attempt – which would prove crucial.
It was a tense first half, with both teams firing shots, and it was the Roosters who would break the deadlock when Pauga crossed untouched in the corner – when Joseph Manu skipped outside his opposition centre before flicking the ball out to the winger. Smith missed his chance to extend the lead to six with his conversion attempt being waved away.
Manly would excite the home fans moments later when Brad Parker broke into space and found Garrick in support, who then chipped with Cherry-Evans outpacing the chasing defenders, collecting the ball on his way to the tryline. Garrick’s conversion attempt was on target as the home side took a two-point lead.
The Roosters then hit back in the dying stages of the first half when James Tedesco latched on to an offload from Nat Butcher and streaked away to score untouched. Smith made no mistake with his second kick of the evening, restoring his side’s four point lead.
Cherry-Evans made sure that Manly had the last say in the first half with the halfback snatching an errant pass to streak away for his second of the match. Garrick knocked his attempt over from right in front to restore their two-point buffer heading into the break.
Manu continued the see-sawing nature of this game, opening the scoring in the second half as a Smith cut-out pass found him in space and he bulldozed his way over the try line. Smith’s conversion raised the flags and the Roosters once again took a four-point lead.
Manly were denied again and again in the second half, but eventually Ben Trbojevic would crack this resolute defensive wall to once again give his side a two-point lead and ensure that the fans spent the final minutes on the edge of their seats.
The Roosters had two sets attacking the Manly line at the death, but were unable to cross the stripe as a determined home side made sure the fans went home happy.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR POINTS
Embed from Getty Images3 – Daly Cherry Evans (Sea Eagles)
2 – Joey Manu (Roosters)
1 – James Tedesco (Roosters)
