Manly Warringah Sea Eagles recorded a hard-fought 18-10 win over the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs at Lottoland tonight in round eight of the Telstra Premiership.
The Sea Eagles welcomed back prop Addin Fonua-Blake from a two-game suspension while winger Abbas Miski (below) became the 614th player to play for Manly in making his NRL debut in front of a crowd of 10,148.
Led by half-back Kane Elgey on the back of some great go-forward by props Fonua-Blake and Martin Taupau, the half-back tormented the Bulldogs down the right edge early in the first half.
The Sea Eagles opened the scoring in the sixth minute when winger Reuben Garrick went over untouched in the right corner from a superb floating pass from Elgey. Garrick converted his own try for a 6-0 lead.
Garrick crossed for his second try in the 14th minute when Elgey provided another floating pass for his winger to score. Garrick then converted from the sideline to give Manly a 12-0 lead after 16 minutes.
The Bulldogs hit back when winger Reimis Smith leapt high above Abbas Miski to score from a kick by five-eighth Jack Cogger. Lock Rhyse Martin converted from out wide for a 12-6 scoreline after 20 minutes.
Garrick extended the lead to 14-6 through a penalty goal in the 33rd minute before the Sea Eagles had a try disallowed to Brendan Elliot by the bunker on an obstruction call. The score remained that way to half-time.
With five-eighth Lachlan Croker suffering a hamstring injury, the Sea Eagles were let off the hook when the video referee ruled Bulldogs second-rower Corey Harawira-Naera failed to ground the ball cleanly from a grubber kicking in scoring in the 52nd minute.
The Bulldogs sent Smith over for his second try in the 58th minute when the winger finished a nice backline play to score in the right corner. Martin failed to convert the try for a 14-10 scoreline.
Garrick gave the Sea Eagles some breathing space with a successful penalty goal from in front of the posts for a 16-10 lead after 69 minutes.
A short drop out by Canterbury half-back Lincoln Lewis failed to reach the required 10 metres to allow Garrick to kick a penalty goal in the 78th minute for an 18-10 lead.
The Sea Eagles now play Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium next Friday night as part of the NRL Magic Round.
