Sea Eagles suffer tough loss in Harold Matthews opener

Manly Warringah Sea Eagles opened their Harold Matthews Cup season with a 38-6 loss to the Western Suburbs Magpies at Campbelltown Sports Stadium on Saturday.

Following a very physical start to the game from both sides, it was the Magpies who opened the scoring when hooker Dylan Brown caught the defence napping from dummy half for a 6-0 lead.

A converted try to centre Heamasi Makasini saw Wests take a 12-0 lead into half-time as tempers flared between both sides walking to the tunnel.

After holding up Wests twice over the line early in the second half, the Sea Eagles were rewarded when a towering kick from five-eighth Oliver Jones saw Wests full-back Luke Laulilii allow the ball to bounce for Joshua Weightman to swoop to score under the posts.

Half-back Jackson Cahill-Smith converted for a 12-6 scoreline.

From the re-start, Manly full-back Reilly Caswell was called up for a forward pass, allowing the Magpies a scrum feed 10 metres out. Three plays later, Wests second-rower Byron Laupepa fended off Cahill-Smith to score next to the posts for an 18-6 lead.

Further tries to Laulilii, Makasini, and Onitoni Large saw the Magpies blow the scoreline wide open.

Manly Coach Aron Watts said it was a tough first up loss in a very physical encounter that saw Wests run in seven tries to one.

“I thought just before half time we let an opportunity slip. We were then able to get back into the game at 12-6 down early but the mistake from the kick off proved costly,'' Watts said.

“The boys tried hard but our execution let us down. We had a good chat after the game and are looking forward to our next match.”

The Sea Eagles have a bye this weekend before tackling the Canberra Raiders in their first home game at 4 Pines Park on Saturday, February 18. Kick-off 12.30pm.