Manly Warringhah Sea Eagles suffered their biggest defeat of the season with a 44-12 loss to the Penrith Panthers tonight in round six of the Telstra Premiership.
The Sea Eagles had no answer to the dominance of the Panthers on their home turf, trailing 32-0 at half-time following a first half hat-trick to Penrith full-back Dylan Edwards in front of a crowd of 20,312.
The match marked the return of winger Jason Saab for the Sea Eagles after recovering from an ACL injury suffered last year.
Edwards opened the scoring when he slipped past Manly back-rower Kelma Tuilagi for a 6-0 lead after four minutes.
Returning Manly winger Jason Saab was metres away from potentially levelling the score four minutes later, flying down the wing from 15 metres out after a short ball from centre Morgan Harper before being forced over the sideline by Sunia Turuva.
Panthers winger Brian To’o went over untouched on the wing after a cut-out pass from the ruck by centre Stephen Crichton. Nathan Cleary converted to take the scoreline to 12-0 after 16 minutes.
Cleary then converted a penalty goal for a 14-0 lead before two tries to Edwards within seven minutes to score a first half hat-trick for a 26-0 lead.
Manly winger Reuben Garrick was forced from the field in the 26th minute for a HIA which he later failed before Karl Lawton was forced from the field with an arm injury in the 35th minute.
Panthers back-rower Scott Sorensen gave Penrith a 32-0 lead at half-time after a try next to the posts.
Five-eighth Kaeo Weekes began the second half on the wing for Garrick with Cooper Johns sliding into the halves.
Manly back-rower Ethan Bullemor had a chance to score in the 51st minute after breaking through two defenders inside the 10 metre line but was denied a try on a double movement call.
Edwards scored his fourth try a minute later next to the posts. Cleary converted for a 38-0 scoreline.
Saab scored off the back of a perfectly placed grubber kick from Daly Cherry-Evans, sitting up perfectly in the in-goal for the winger to dive on. Cherry-Evans converted to bring the score to 38-6 with an hour played.
Tom Trbojevic scored with five minutes remaining after To'o spilt a crossfield kick from Cherry-Evans. The half-back converted from out wide for a 38-12 scoreline.
Cleary then converted his own try inside the final minute for the 44-12 scoreline.
Manly head back home in round seven to take on the Melbourne Storm on Friday April 14, at 8pm, at 4 Pines Park.
