A golden-point thriller has seen the Warriors pull off an unimaginable comeback in opposition to the Sea Eagles, with the match endings in a 22-all draw at Go Media Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Coming off the again of their win over three-time reigning champions the Penrith Panthers final week, the Sea Eagles showcased an unstoppable efficiency in assault.
Captain Daly Cherry-Evans scored a first-half double, with sturdy defensive efforts throughout the board.
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Chasing their fourth straight win, the Warriors had been dominated all through the primary half by Manly’s fierce assault as they slumped to a 16-nil deficit.
Nonetheless, a late second-half comeback injected the house facet again into the sport.
The Warriors misplaced veteran Jazz Tevaga late within the first half to a hamstring damage shortly after he opened his facet’s account.
Tevaga was pictured utilizing crutches within the sheds at half time.
Manly additionally didn’t emerge unscathed with Ben Trbojevic subbed out after a deal with in opposition to Roger Tuivasa-Sheck late within the second half.
The 22-year-old’s damage file is just not promising with the younger centre having suffered from two hamstring accidents final season.
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Talking on Fox League’s panel after the golden-point thriller, league greats Mal Meninga and Cooper Cronk stated they each believed that Anthony Seibold and Andrew Webster can be sitting “quietly assured” that their groups will make the eight.
“They’re within the high eight, there is no such thing as a doubt about it,” Meninga stated.
“They’re each nice footy groups… they’re each very affected person {and professional}.
“It was a deserved outcome for the 2 groups.”
Cronk replied: “It comes right down to a few moments in golden level, each half-backs missed one.
“I favored the truth that within the ultimate minutes, each groups confirmed they did not need to lose. Typically you attempt to go for the win and find yourself dropping the sport.”
”Each [Anthony] Seibold and [Andrew] Webster can be quietly assured that they’ve a superb staff of their arms.”
Early errors from the Warriors rapidly set the tone for the primary half, with dropped balls from dummy-half passes by Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Jackson Ford persistently handing over much-needed place to the guests.
An early line break off a brief ball by Corey Waddell noticed Manly make simple metres in opposition to the house facet, with the second-rower opting in opposition to passing to Tom Trbojevic regardless of the fullback having open house forward.
Solely moments later, a robust attacking effort by the Trbojevic brothers was rapidly supported by Daly Cherry-Evans, swooping up a dropped ball metres from the road to place the primary factors on the board.
A powerful kick by Shaun Johnson appeared certain to land within the arms of Kurt Capewell, with the back-rower shaping as much as bat the ball earlier than rapidly pulling out on the final second.
The Warriors had been fast to problem the referee’s penalty name, which noticed Capewell penalised underneath the brand new ‘disruptor’ rule for not making a real try on the ball.
The guests continued to carve up on their opposition’s dwelling turf, with Tommy Taulu breaking down the left edge with little help on his inside. A brief kick infield landed within the path of Cherry-Evans, securing his second attempt of the match.
With 10 minutes within the half remaining, Taulu blindsided Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, diving over the left nook publish, with an ideal kicking recreation by Cherry Evans pushing Manly’s result in 16.
Tevaga was the saving grace the Warriors wanted, with two passes off the ruck and a brief ball by captain Tohu Harris sending the lock charging over underneath the posts.
The 28-year-old solely survived one hit-up off the following kick-off earlier than he limped off the sector injured.
Solely seconds remained within the first half when Watene-Zelezniak intercepted a go from Luke Brooks, working roughly 60m down the road to convey the rating to 10-16.
Going set-for-set, Johnson broke the stalemate with some fancy footwork propelling the halfback over the road, however the Kiwi star was unable to transform his efforts because the Warriors crept nearer on the scoreboard.
As issues falling aside, Watene-Zelezniak pulled off a last-minute miracle, outpacing the Manly line to assert essential factors.
With 47 seconds left on the clock, Shaun Johnson tried to drill a long-range discipline objective however was hit within the air by Manly prop Josh Aloiai.
Nailing the penalty kick from 15 metres out, the sport was despatched to golden-point.
