Pathways Wrap: 02/03/25

The Sea Eagles notched a third straight win in the Harold Matthews Cup, defeating South Sydney Rabbitohs 24-12 at Redfern Oval on Saturday.

The visitors were trailing 12-6 with less than 10 minutes remaining before replacement back Jack Kalms scored two tries in five minutes to swing the momentum Manly’s way.

The Rabbitohs crossed in the fourth minute when five-eighth Payton Tarau took advantage of a stacked short side

Manly missed a certain scoring chance 17 minutes into the match after a break through the middle, only to spill the ball close to the line.

The Bunnies scored their second try five minutes later when replacement hooker Charlie Bateup kicked through and regathered from dummy half close to the line.

Down 8-0, Manly’s first try came on the stroke of half time when replacement forward Lukas Butler charged over from about 10 metres out, following a good lead up run from Cooper Close.

Souths extended 8-6 lead early in the second half when winger Robert Simms finished a sweeping play to the left.

Down 12-6 with about six minutes remaining, the match took a sudden turn.

Replacement utility Kalms darted through the middle from 20 metres out, on the back of good lead up plays by five-eighth Kobe Morris and hooker, Ashton Large.

With the scores locked at 12-12, Kalms found the line again with about three minutes remaining.  It was a lovely short side play from about 60 metres out involving Morris and centre Boston Byrne, finished by Kalms.

Large, who was arguably the best player on the field, put the icing on the cake with a well-deserved try on the stroke of full time to secure a 24-12 victory.

SG Ball Cup

The Sea Eagles were beaten 32-16 by top-of-the-table Canberra Raiders in Round 5 of the SG Ball Cup in Belconnen.

Played in sweltering conditions, the Raiders scored after just two minutes when a quick play-the-ball led to a quick shift to the left for winger Hardy Glover to score.

Manly hit back in the ninth minute when five-eighth Max Davies put edge forward Hugo Hart through a hole to make it 6-6, after some nice lead-up work from Simione Laiafi.

The Raiders then strung together a few quick play the balls with nippy half Jamie Cowling taking advantage, dicing through from close range to make it 10-6 in the 19th minute.

Manly hit the front for the first time four minutes out from the break when hooker Timoko Berryman-Duff burrowed his way to the line, converting his own try have Manly leading 12-10.

The Raiders went to the break with a 14-12 lead after speedy Cowling scored his second try, a mirror image of his first, cutting through on an angle from close range.

Manly regained the lead two minutes into the second half through a try to winger Benjamin Keene-O'Keefe, before back-to-back tries in a 3-minute window put the Raiders ahead 26-16.

The Raiders sealed the deal with a third unanswered try to make it 32-16 when dummy half Ezra Leota dived over under the back dot with ten minutes remaining.

That was the last scoring play with the Raiders securing a fifth win from as many games this season.

Lisa Fiaola Cup

The Sea Eagles were defeated 44-8 by the unbeaten Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Round 5 of the Lisa Fiaola Cup.

A game against the defending premiers was always going to be tough, and tough it was. 

The Bulldogs scored in the opening minute through fullback Asha Taumoepeau-Williams, who would go on to score three of her team’s eight tries.

Leading 22-4 at half the home side posted another four tries in the second half, to make it four wins from four games this season.

Tarsha Gale Cup 

The Sea Eagles put up an impressive fight against the unbeaten Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs, losing 24-14 in Round 5 of the Tarsha Gale Cup.

Manly were on the verge of a causing a major upset after going to the break level at 8-8.

The Sea Eagles were ahead of the ladder leaders 14-12 with less than 10 minutes remaining, but the home side finished strongly.

An error from a scrum allowed the Bulldogs to take the lead, and they added a further try in the dying minutes to claim their fourth win from four games this season