The Manly Warringah Sea Eagles snapped a three game winless streak with a hard earned 18-8 win over Melbourne Storm at a wet Brookvale on Friday night in a feisty contest.
Result
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 18
Tries: (2) Tom Trbojevic 11th; Lachlan Croker 73rd
Goals: (5) Daly Cherry-Evans 13th, 17th, 33rd, 49th, 74th
Melbourne Storm 8
Tries: (1) William Warbrick 20th
Goals: (2) Jonah Pezet 39th, 53rd
Report
It took 12 minutes for the scoring to get underway and it went to the home side after a cheeky chip behind the defence on the third tackle by Daly Cherry-Evans: Tom Trbojevic won the race against Cameron Munster and the dead ball line. The conversion gave Manly a 6-0 lead.
Not long after that try there was a contender for tackle of the season as human wrecking ball Justin Olam was stopped by a Manly concrete wall comprising of Haumole Olakau’atu and Josh Aloiai. Olam left the field for a HIA a few minutes later but did return.
Manly capped a period of dominance with another two points courtesy of a penalty from an incorrect dropout. Melbourne were helping them with an increasing penalty count.
But Melbourne hit back in the 20th minute when William Warbrick strolled to the line, finishing off a regulation move to the left. The sideline conversion was missed, and the Storm were back in the game at 8-4.
Another big collision saw each side lose a player to HIA assessment when Manly’s Kelma Tuilagi and Melbourne’s Tui Kamikamica clashed heads.
The half time score was 10-6 as the teams traded penalty goals just before the break. That five minute period saw some significant action as Manly’s Tom Trbojevic went off for a HIA after a Trent Loiero hit that saw the Storm player go on report. After that Cameron Munster was floored by a late Ray Tuaimalo-Vaega hit which saw the Manly winger sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes. Both Trbojevic and Munster returned to the field for the second half.
Manly looked to have defied being down a player by being the first to score in the second half, but the Ethan Bullemor try was called back by The Bunker. The chance came from an ordinary attempt to kick on the fifth tackle. The Storm ironically looked out of sorts in the pouring rain at Brookvale as they knocked on the very next set, wasting their extra player advantage.
The home side looked to have scored again via a grubber and a chasing Aaron Woods, but after an eternity was ruled out correctly again by The Bunker. But the reprieve came at a price as Tui Kamikamica was sent to the sin bin for a late hit on Daly Cherry-Evans. Manly should have extended their lead by another two points but Cherry-Evans missed an easy chance. He made up for it minutes later as Trent Loiero was put on report for a second time for a hip drop-type tackle. Manly now led 12-6 and it was their turn for a player advantage.
Manly were lucky to keep that player advantage when Jake Trbojevic continued players going on report with a late, lifting tackle on Munster. A Melbourne penalty goal later and the score was now 12-8 to Manly – this game was turning into a rugby union-style penalty goal fest.
The penalties were taking its toll as the temperature of the game was rising, and a melee broke out after exceptions were taken after a big Tuaimalo-Vaega hit on William Warbrick halted a Storm attack. Referee Adam Gee was struggling to keep control. Minutes later Justin Olam went to the sin bin for a late hit on Daly Cherry-Evans not long after both captains were warned about discipline.
Somehow under relentless pressure from Manly, the Storm held on for Olam’s sin bin time, and with 10 minutes to go the game was there for the taking.
And it was Manly who did the taking when Lachlan Croker dived over after an offload from Taniela Paseka on his back. The conversion made it 18-8 which was the final score.
Manly will be very happy with the hard fought two competition points and a move up to second on the ladder. Interestingly for the Sea Eagles this was only their second ever win over Melbourne on a Friday in nine clashes. The other victory came in the infamous “Battle of Brookvale” game in 2011, which you could argue that this game was heading down the path of at one stage.
For Melbourne it was an ordinary performance, with a distinct lack of discipline most of the night. Their bigger worry than losing two competition points could be facing Craig Bellamy at their next training session.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR POINTS
Embed from Getty Images3 – Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles)
2 – Josh Aloiai (Sea Eagles)
1 – Haumole Olakau’atu (Sea Eagles)
