Match Report: NRL Round 5 vs Dolphins

It was the Sea Eagles first away game this year, and first under the coaching of new interim boss Kieran Foran.

And what a night it was. 

Manly piled on nine tries and 52 unanswered points before taking their foot off the gas in the final stages.

After a rapid fire opening first few sets, the breakthrough came in the 15th minute when Manly captain Tom Trbojevic finished off a play that he started.

Seemingly locked by three defenders Turbo was able to offload to Brandon Wakeham before Haumole Olakau’atu delivered the final pass for his captain to open the account.

Manly was in again in their very next attacking set.  A penalty out of their own end was finished with a try to Lehi Hopoate in the opposite corner.

All three Trbojevic brothers were involved. It was lightning quick hands through Jake, to Luke Brooks, then to Ben Trbojevic, who handed to Tom, with Lehi collecting the four-pointer.

Hopoate crossed for his second try 15 minutes out from half time to kick his team ahead 16-0.   The fleet footed winger scooped up a dropped ball on the half way line before racing away to cross next to the posts.

A well-weighted kick in goal from Jamal Fogarty forced a drop out the very next set as Manly continued to build pressure.

Hopoate then almost scored a third try a few minutes later but for some excellent scrambling defence forcing him into touch.

Five minutes out from half time Manly charged ahead to make it 22-0. A delicate short ball from Olakau’atu found Reuben Garrick pouring through a hole on an angling run to the line.

The points avalanche continued when Luke Brooks bagged his team's fifth try two minutes out from the break.  Another perfectly weighted kick in goal from Fogarty found Brooks on the fly, who grounded the ball just short of the dead ball line, to put his team up 28-0 at half time.

Much like the first half it was a frantic start to the second. 

Turbo was hit in a high tackle in the opening exchanges before being sent for a HIA seven minutes into the second half, after another heavy collision.

Manly stretched their lead to 30-0 12 minutes into the second half when the Dolphins conceded a penalty right in front of their posts.  It was a gift two points for Fogarty with just under half an hour to play.

Another mistake from the Dolphins handed Manly back to back sets in the 58th minute, and the home side paid a hefty price.

A neat short ball from Jake Simpkin close to the line sent Olakau’atu charging over for the Sea Eagles' first try of the second half to make it 36-0

Another attacking opportunity was presented on a plate to Manly when Selwyn Cobbo failed to collect a cross-field kick, and again the home side was made to pay.

This time it was Tolu Koula who found the line for Manly’s seventh try of the night. The Tongan speedster, having shifted to fullback, ran a deceptive line from inside out, scoring off a Brooks' short ball.

Up 40-0 with 14 minutes remaining there was more pain to come for the Phins.

Ben Trbojevic crossed for a richly deserved try after dominating the left edge, powering his way to line to make 46-0.

A minute later the Sea Eagles brought up the half century in style with a spectacular try that started on their own 40-metre line.

With brothers Jake and Tom now watching from the bench it was a play that was started by Ben.

He found Koula lurking dangerously on the inside who then turned Hamiso Tabuai Fidow inside and out. Tackled but not held, Koula supplied Corey Waddell with the final pass to make it 52-0 with 12 minutes to play.

The Dolphins crossed for three late tries well after the damage had been done on a night that was owned by Manly.

It was a week that began with a club legend taking over as interim coach, one that  finished with a magnificent victory, the team’s first of the season.

Next up is a trip to Wollongong next Friday to face the St George Illawarra Dragons in Round 6 of the NRL Telstra Premiership.