Manly Warringah Sea Eagles suffered a 30-26 loss to Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval today in round 23 of the Telstra Premiership.
The Sea Eagles led 20-6 at half-time before being run down late to take the two competition points to leave Manly on 28 points with three rounds remaining.
The Tigers opened the scoring when the NRL bunker overruled a no try to Elijah Taylor in the eighth minute from a Luke Brooks grubber kick. Five-eighth Tuimoala Lolohea converted for a 6-0 lead.
Manly hit back when hooker Api Koroisau scooted from dummy half to race downfield to send half-back and captain Daly Cherry-Evans over out wide. Winger Matthew Wright converted for a 6-all scoreline after 14 minutes.
Cherry-Evans scored his second try when the ball bounced off the posts from a Tom Trbojevic grubber kick to score. Wright converted for a 12-6 lead after 27 minutes.
A beautiful cut out pass by Cherry-Evans saw winger Akuila Uate cross for a try in the corner. Wright failed to convert for a 16-6 scoreline after 31 minutes.
Uate scored his second try when he dived over in the right corner after a nice step and flick pass from centre Dylan Walker. Wright’s attempt from the sideline hit the posts for a 20-6 lead after 36 minutes.
The home side reduced the margin to eight points in the 51st minute through a converted try to centre Kevin Naiqama after winger David Nofoaluma took an intercept pass from Tom Trbojevic on the play before. Lolohea converted the try from the sideline for a 20-12 scoreline.
Lolohea then took on the Manly line to crash over next to the posts to convert his own try for a 20-18 scoreline with 22 minutes remaining.
A towering kick from the re-start saw the Sea Eagles get the ball. It paid off when prop Lloyd Perrett scored a converted try under the posts for a 26-18 lead two minutes later.
A loose carry from Perrett from the restart saw the Tigers get a scrum feed before forward Sauaso Sue broke through three defenders to score. Lolohea converted from next to the posts for a 26-24 scoreline with 16 minutes remaining.
The Tigers snatched victory inside the final two minutes when winger Malakai Watene-Zelezniak crossed after Manly centre Brad Parker lost the ball in front of his posts to give the Tigers possession. Lolohea converted the try with seconds remaining for the 30-26 scoreline.
Manly play Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium next Sunday, August 20, at 4pm.
