Manly Leagues are proving to be the giant killers of the Sydney Shield competition in their fine debut season under Coach Antony Watmough.
After having already knocked over previous competition leaders St Marys 28-12, the Sea Eagles did it again on Sunday, upsetting leaders Mounties 34-26 in a home game at HE Laybutt Field, Blacktown.
Furthermore, the Manly Leagues team featured five Manly SG Ball players from this season.
Lachlan Burt opened proceedings for the Sea Eagles with a clear run to the corner after a nice shift along the backline for a 4-0 lead after seven minutes.
Mounties hit back with a converted try to five-eighth Kaylem Falaniko for a 6-4 scoreline before full-back Aykan Bosnali extend their lead to 12-4 with a try eight minutes later.
Manly captain Jake Watmough used his strength to charge over after Jake Smith took the line on to cut the deficit to 12-10 after 28 minutes.
A try to Mounties centre Douglas Levi four minutes later made it 16-10 before the Sea Eagles drew level at 16-all before half-time after five-eighth Callum Dowell took the line on to force his way over next to the posts.
Mounties came out of the gates flying in the second half with a try after just 50 seconds through forward Cameron Davis who powered his way through three defenders from a penalty tap after Manly Leagues dropped the ball from the kick-off.
Trailing 20-16, the never-say-die attitude of the Sea Eagles was there to be seen with two converted tries in five minutes for a 28-20 lead.
Watmough scored his second try off a well-timed pass from half-back Leroy Murray before giant prop Nash Hillier offloaded in a two man tackle for Jake Smith to fire out a superb long cut out pass for winger Gabe Stuart to dive over.
Manly Leagues managed to get out to a 34-20 lead after 70 minutes when centre Benjamin Keene-O'Keefe finished off a 35 metre break by prop Taulauniuotagaloa Mariota after the burly forward snatched up a chip kick from Mounties.
Falaniko then grabbed his second for Mounties with five minutes remaining for the 36-24 scoreline with Manly Leagues holding on fort a well deserved win.
The Sea Eagles have now won four of their 10 matches to sit eighth as they head into a bye next weekend.
Manly Leagues 34 (Watmough 2, Burt, Dowell 38, Stuart, Keene-O'Keefe tries, Burt 5/6 goals) d Mounties 26 (Falaniko 2, Bosnali, Levi, Davis tries; Falaniko 3/5 goals)
