A dominant comeback has seen the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles take another step closer to securing an NRL finals berth with a 38-8 win over the Gold Coast Titans tonight.
The Sea Eagles conceded two early tries to the Titans to trail 8-0 after 12 minutes before fighting back to take a 12-8 lead at half-time.
It was then a second half carve up by the Sea Eagles, who piled on 38 unanswered points to record a great victory.
The win sees Manly move into fifth spot on 25 points subject to the result of the Cowboys-Bulldogs match.
Sea Eagles: Round 20
Manly's Origin captains Daly Cherry-Evans and Jake Trbojevic backed up following the brutal affair at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday night while Haumole Olakauátu served his first match of a two game suspension.
The Sea Eagles also welcomed back giant prop Taniela Paseka from a thumb injury.
The Titans opened the scoring through winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira in the 9th minute after a good shift through the hands for a 4-0 lead.
Gold Coast went back-to-back with a try three minutes later through second-rower Beau Fermor to extend the lead to 8-0.
Discipline and completion proved to be the deciding factors as the Sea Eagles struggled to assert themselves in the match. The Titans continued to steam forward and put the home side on the back foot.
Sea Eagles v Titans – Round 20, 2024
Manly five-eighth Luke Brooks took matters into his own hands to get his side back into the match in the 31st minute. Brooks took on the line and broke through the defence with a silky step, beating three defenders to score under the posts for an 8-6 scoreline.
The Sea Eagles quickly made it two tries in two minutes as winger Lehi Hopoate went over to score his fourth of the year. Brooks orchestrated the play and decided to run on the last tackle, passing out wide to Tommy Talau to send Hopoate over untouched to take the score to 12-8 at half-time.
Reuben Garrick’s second conversion saw him move to fourth place for Most Points for the Club, passing Matthew Ridge on 1093 points.
A superb floating pass from Tom Trbojevic saw winger Jason Saab stroll over for an 18-8 lead after 45 minutes.
The Sea Eagles fans were quickly back on their feet two minutes later when a break down the right from Garrick saw full-back Tom Trbojevic stroll over for a try to make it 24-8.
An 80 metre run by Talau saw him pulled down 10 mtres out from the Titans line. A quick play the ball and a pass from Cherry-Evans saw Tom Trbojevic cross for his second for a 30-8 lead after 16 minutes.
Ben Trbojevic extended the lead to 34-8 when he finished off a play from Brooks and Tom Trbojevic to score out wide in the 73rd minute.
Talau then finished off proceedings when he dived over in the corner to make it 38-8 after 78 minutes.
The Sea Eagles now take on the Sydney Roosters in round 21 at Allianz Stadium on Saturday, July 27 at 7.35pm.
