Match Report: Round 15 vs Titans

The Sea Eagles found themselves behind 22-8 at half time despite opening the scoring in the fourth minute of the match.

Playing his 150th NRL game Reuben Garrick marked the occasion with a try, diving over from dummy half in his team’s second set of six.

The Titans hit back in the 13th minute when winger Allan Fitzgibbon accepted a Kieran Foran cutout pass to plant the ball millimeters inside the western touchline.

The home side then scored two tries in the space of four minutes, both by winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira, to stretch their lead to 16-4.

Khan-Pereira's first came after centre Brian Kelly beat Garrick on the inside, the speedy winger there in support to finish off. 

His second was an individual effort where he darted from left to right stepping past several defenders to score next to the posts.

The Sea Eagles were next to score when Garrick crossed for his second of the night to have his team trailing 16-8.

He was put through a gap by Daly Cherry-Evans after the Manly skipper had earlier sent Toafofoa Sipley on a good run downfield.

The Titans scored their fourth try nine minutes out from half time to put them ahead 22-8. 

It was a long-range effort that saw fullback AJ Brimson step past hooker Lachlan Croker with half Jayden Campbell there in support to score next to the posts.

Manly almost crossed in the shadows of half time when Ben Trbojevic made a half break before offloading to brother Tom, who attempted a tap-on to winger Tommy Talau.  It didn’t come off and Manly remained behind 22-8 at the break.

Manly pressed hard for points in the second half but were repelled several times when attacking the Titans' line.

It looked like the Sea Eagles had posted first points of the second period just after the hour mark when Haumole Olakau’atu stomped through four defenders to plant the ball over the line.

In a double blow for Manly the try was disallowed and their right-edge wrecking ball was forced from the field with a dislocated shoulder.

The home side stretched their lead to 28-8 with 10 minutes remaining when right edge forward Chris Randall hit the line at speed from close range with Ben Trbojevic unable to stop him.

It remained 28-8 at full time with the Titans ending a three-match losing streak and Manly suffering back-to-back losses for the first time since Round 7.