Manly Warringah Sea Eagles suffered a 32-24 loss to South Sydney Rabbitohs at Brookvale Oval tonight in round five of the Holden Cup competition.
The Sea Eagles got off to a dream start when winger Mitch Thomas pounced on the loose ball to score. Half-back Hutana Coffin’s conversion attempt hit the upright for a 4-0 scoreline after five minutes.
Thomas grabbed his second try when he dived over in the left corner for an 8-0 lead. Coffin was replaced as the goal-kicker by Nicholas Hynes but his conversion went wide.
It became 12-0 when a Hynes delivered a perfect cut out pass to send Thomas over for his third try after 18 minutes before the Rabbitohs got on the board through a converted try to Tevita Cottrell for a 12-6 scoreline.
The Sea Eagles then went to an 18-6 lead when Johnnie Walker slammed the ball down for a converted try before South Sydney hit back with a converted try on half-time to full-back Tom Perrin for an 18-12 scoreline at half-time.
2nd Half
South Sydney then trailed 18-16 when centre Tarquinn Alatipi-Butler scored early in the second half. Five-eighth Chad O’Donnell converted the try for an 18-all scoreline.
The Sea Eagles regained the lead when exciting full-back Jayden El-Jalkh dived over for a try. Coffin nailed the conversion for a 24-18 lead.
The see-sawing contest continued when Souths scored a converted try through Riley Yates for a 24-all scoreline after 65 minutes.
South Sydney took the lead through a converted try to Liam Coleman before the Rabbitohs converted a penalty attempt for a 32-24 lead.
The Sea Eagles remain winless after five rounds.
