Penrith and Manly went blow for blow in a Sunday afternoon stunner, set alight by the assault of two left edges and Origin stablemates who had type factors to show.
The category of the triple crown premiers got here out on high within the 32-22 fixture, as self-discipline and fatigue introduced down the Sea Eagles, who loomed early because the victors.
The primary half-hour was a story of trios. It was factors galore within the first half, as Manly managed to stay with the Panthers even with out Haumole Olakau’atu.
Olakau’atu, who made his Blues debut within the opening recreation of the sequence, trudged off within the twenty third minute in entrance of 20,101 spectators at BlueBet Stadium on Sunday with a suspected calf harm.
Whereas the Tongan worldwide initially stored heat for the remainder of the primary half on a stationary bike, Manly communicated after the halftime break that the back-rower wouldn’t return.
“I’m informed it’s minor,” Anthony Seibold mentioned submit recreation. “The danger was if we maintain him on the market he does it correctly.”
To’o tallies up three
Three tries for Brian To’o and Tommy Talau previous to halftime, because the latter mixed with Ben Trbojevic and Luke Brooks with loads of success – it was sufficient to provide opposing winger Sunia Turuva nightmares for the following month.
(Picture by Jeremy Ng/Getty Photos)
Manly’s 12-4 lead lasted solely six minutes because it was To’o’s flip to show over the web page from Wednesday evening and cross the chalk for a second and third time. The post-metre weapon had 100 operating metres earlier than the thirtieth minute and went on to log 257 for the evening.
To’o bounced again strongly after a disappointing Origin one efficiency, exhibiting coach Maguire simply why he was picked – particularly when the tablet goes his means.
“He’s unbelievable, I assumed all three Origin boys have been wonderful tonight,” mentioned Penrith coach Ivan Cleary. “I really feel we discuss it on a regular basis with ‘Bizza’, he’s simply unimaginable.”
Stand-in fullback Daine Laurie racked up a whopping 344, together with 153 on kick returns.
Brooks biff with Luai prices Sea Eagles six
Reuben Garrick’s 4 missed conversion makes an attempt took Manly out of competition after the 63rd minute, when a scuffle between Jarome Luai and Brooks divided the sport moments earlier than.
After the Panthers five-eighth was tackled by Ben Trbojevic, Luai rose after enjoying the ball and exchanged seeminly heated phrases with Brooks.
Brooks returned fireplace as the 2 entered a push and shove match, solely to create a passage for Laurie to weave via and discover Liam Henry in assist, who ended up scoring untouched.
Daly Cherry-Evans was heard on referee Gerard Sutton’s mic after the bunker confirmed the strive, saying ‘it was him (Luai) that began it’.
Fox League commentators Cooper Cronk and Andrew Voss have been up in arms over the incident.
“There’s no means I can take that off Penrith. (Brooks) desires to go on with it. Frequent sense says that’s a strive,” Voss mentioned.
“Each Brooks and Luai have been at it from the start. Onerous to inform who began it and everybody else needed to play,” Cronk added.
The tiff-up made for a mouth-watering last quarter of the competition, showcased by a scorching potato strive that put Turuva on the multiple-try record. The four-pointer was an in depth name, however an Isaah Yeo knock-on was dominated out by the upper powers.
Manly with some upside regardless of loss
A late NFL jink and switch from Jason Saab gave Manly some sort of hope heading into the ultimate 10 minutes, however the powerhouse profile of Penrith had an excessive amount of in hand, and a lead they might not concede.
Whereas the loss was a tricky consequence for Manly after such a scorching begin, coach Anthony Seibold’s aspect had loads of positives.
Nathan Brown has greater than paid off his prepare and trial contract and mixed nicely with Jake Trbojevic to supply a second ball-playing center.
Lehi Hopoate and Ben Trbojevic have been attacking threats all evening, however when Penrith full 37 of 38 units, there’s not a lot you are able to do to spark an upset.
The absence of Lachlan Croker could not appear drastic on face worth, however the defensive efforts of the hooker are sorely missed, with Karl Lawton having to fill in and check his health.
The arrival of former Tiger Jake Simpkin ought to present a brand new really feel for the Sea Eagles out of the ruck.
‘What was that’ moments
If Manly did go on with the job and topple Penrith, Mitch Kenny would’ve been known as into the stewards room, as he didn’t dive on the tablet after a dropout scenario. It was a weird mind fade. Had the No.9 taken possession, he was an ethical to cross the road.
Kenny as a substitute tried to toe the ball ahead, however was a mere 5 metres from the road. For a hooker who isn’t gifted with an extended strive tally, the hard-man will need that once more and ask himself what was doing, when seeing the imaginative and prescient on replay.
Cherry-Evans was additionally pulled again twice for overstepping his mark when kicking for contact, however even just a little cheekiness left Manly with no smile and competitors factors.
The Origin veteran was initially informed to rekick after marching previous the set mark by a minimum of seven metres. He went on to make the identical error, which nearly price his aspect a penalty.
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