MANLY SEA EAGLES 42 NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS 12
CALLUM WALKER, 4 Pines Park, Sydney, Saturday
DALY CHERRY-EVANS wound back the years with an impressive captain’s knock as Manly put North Queensland to the sword in emphatic fashion.
The Sea Eagles ran in seven tries before the Cowboys even had a sniff, with Haumole Olakau’atu, Jason Saab and Ben Trbojevic running in three tries in the opening nine minutes.
Reuben Garrick converted two and then added a penalty before Ethan Bullemor extended Manly’s lead to 24-0 at half-time.
The visitors were simply outclassed and outmuscled from the first whistle, and the Sea Eagles’ dominance continued after the break with Toafofoa Sipley getting in on the act, forcing his way through soft defence.
It was onslaught after onslaught and Garrick finished off a superb flowing move that involved a pinpoint inside kick from Saab and just two minutes later, Cherry-Evans grabbed a deserved four-pointer with the hour in sight.
Garrick’s conversions made it 42-0 before the Cowboys rallied with eight minutes to go. Scott Drinkwater scythed his way through from 30 metres, with Braidon Burns dotting down as time ran out.
Despite North Queensland’s late rally, the night belonged to Manly.
SEA EAGLES: 1 Tom Trbojevic, 2 Jason Saab, 3 Tolutau Koula, 4 Reuben Garrick, 5 Lehi Hopoate, 6 Luke Brooks, 7 Daly Cherry-Evans, 8 Taniela Paseka, 9 Jazz Tevaga, 10 Siosiua Taukeiaho, 11 Haumole Olakau’atu, 12 Ben Trbojevic, 13 Jake Trbojevic. Subs (all used): 14 Jake Simpkin, 15 Corey Waddell, 16 Ethan Bullemor, 17 Toafofoa Sipley
Tries: Olakau’atu (4), Saab (8), B Trbojevic (10), Bullemor (27), Sipley (50), Garrick (52), Cherry-Evans (55); Goals: Garrick 7/8
COWBOYS: 1 Scott Drinkwater, 2 Braidon Burns, 3 Jaxon Purdue, 4 Viliami Vailea, 5 Murray Taulagi, 6 Tom Dearden, 7 Tom Duffy, 8 Jordan McLean, 9 Reece Robson, 10 Sam McIntyre, 11 John Bateman, 12 Jeremiah Nanai, 13 Reuben Cotter. Subs (all used): 14 Karl Lawton, 15 Harrison Edwards, 16 Griffin Neame, 17 Coen Hess
Tries: Drinkwater (73), Burns (78); Goals: Duffy 1/1, Drinkwater 1/1
SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 10-0, 16-0, 18-0, 24-0; 30-0, 36-0, 42-0, 42-6, 42-12
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Sea Eagles: Daly Cherry-Evans; Cowboys: John Bateman
Penalty count: 9-5; Half-time: 24-0; Referee: Peter Gough; Attendance: 17,375