The return to their beloved home ground has seen the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles bounce back in the Jersey Flegg Cup today at 4 Pines Park.
In the curtain raiser to the NRL at 4 Pines Park, the Sea Eagles fought hard to snap their two-game losing streak following tight losses to the Newcastle Knights and the Melbourne Storm to record a strong 36-16 win over the St George-Illawarra Dragons.
Both teams traded tries in what turned out to be a back-and-forth battle in the first half, with the home side holding a tight 18-12 lead at the break.
Two tries in the first seven minutes of the second half propelled the Sea Eagles to an 18-point lead which they managed to hold onto, despite some fight from the visitors.
The victory sees the Sea Eagles move up to fifth place on the ladder on eight wins with 18 points.
Manly welcomed hardworking prop Remi Mant into the team this week after some solid performances for the Manly Leagues team in their first season in the Sydney Shield.
After trading chances in the opening stages of the match, the Sea Eagles opened the scoring in the 10th minute off the back of a barnstorming run from prop Kylan Mafoa for a 6-0 lead.
The Dragons hit back five minutes later with a try out wide through full-back Benjamin Rumble to level the score at 6-all.
Manly lock Devante Mihinui was too strong in the 21st minute as he powered his way through the defence to score for a 12-6 scoreline.
A silly mistake gifted the Dragons a try with 10 minutes to play in the first half, as halfback Ashton Ward scored with a 75-metre run to lock the score up at 12-all.
The Sea Eagles took the lead for the third time in the 32nd minute through halfback Travis May. A strong run from hooker Daniel O’Donnell and good support play from Nicholas Lenaz helped send May over for an 18-12 lead at the break.
It only took two minutes of the second half for Manly to continue their scintillating form. Lenaz dived over next to the posts off the back of a well timed short ball at the line to take the lead to 24-12.
The Sea Eagles capitalised on the Dragons’ mistakes to pile on more points. Mafoa bagged his second try in the 42nd minute after pushing past the defence to ground a loose ball in-goal for a 30-12 scoreline.
A quick break from a scrum in Manly’s half gifted the Dragons an easy try in the corner in the 48th minute through winger Cain Barnes, cutting the deficit to 30-16.
Mihinui forced his way out of a tackle at the line to score his second try for Manly with three minutes remaining for a final scoreline of 36-16.
The Sea Eagles take on the South Sydney Rabbitohs in round 16 of the Jersey Flegg Cup on Saturday June 22, at 3.25pm, in the first of three matches at Accor Stadium.
Sea Eagles 36 (Tries: Mafoa 10’, Mihinui 20’, May 32’, Lenaz 37’, Mafoa 42’,Mihinui 67’ . Conversions: Lawry 6/6) d Dragons 16 (Tries: Rumble 14’, Ward 24’, Barnes 48’. Conversions: Ward 2/3)
