Manly halfback and captain Daly Cherry-Evans inspired the Sea Eagles to a 36-0 victory over the Canterbury Bulldogs at Brookvale Oval, which was recently renamed Lottoland.
It was the second win of the season for Manly, with Cherry-Evans playing in his 150th match and setting up four tries in the first half, at the end of which the Sea Eagles were leading 26-0 and the result was already in the bag.
It was a dispiriting afternoon for the Bulldogs, captained by James Graham, who have now lost three of their opening four games of the season.
The Sea Eagles opened the scoring when Dylan Walker touched down a Cherry-Evans grubber in the 15th minute, and Cherry-Evans then fed Curtis Sironen with a superb short ball for the second try.
Jake Trbojevic then had a try disallowed, but Brian Kelly touched down a Blake Green grubber to make it 14-0 before the Bulldogs’ backrower Josh Jackson was sinbined for tackling Tom Trbojevic from an offside position.
Kelly then took another smart Cherry-Evans pass to extend the lead again before the Sea Eagles’ skipper again grubbered the ball with the outside of his boot to set up Tom Trbojevic with the Sea Eagles’ fifth try of the first half.
The torture for the Bulldogs’ supporters continued in the second half when Apisai Koroisau pushed the Sea Eagles’ lead past 30 points, and although the scoring rate dropped significantly it was left to Cherry-Evans to set up Akuila Uate with another kick in the final minute to complete a comprehensive victory.
Sea Eagles: Tom Trbojevic, Jorge Taufua, Dylan Walker, Brian Kelly, Akuila Uate, Blake Green, Daly Cherry-Evans, Brenton Lawrence, Apisai Koroisau, Martin Taupau, Frank Winterstein, Curtis Sironen, Jake Trbojevic; Subs: Lewis Brown, Nate Myles, Jackson Hastings, Addin Fonua-Blake
Bulldogs: Brad Abbey, Brett Morris, Josh Morris, Brenko Lee, Marcelo Montoya, Josh Reynolds, Moses Mbye, Aiden Tolman, Michael Lichaa, James Graham, Josh Jackson, Greg Eastwood, David Klemmer; Subs: Sam Kasiano, Danny Fualalo, Adam Elliot, Raymond Faitala-Mariner
A full review of all the weekend’s NRL action will feature in Monday’s edition of League Express
