Manly Leagues suffered their heaviest defeat in the Ron Massey Cup this season with a 54-18 loss to Mounties on Saturday night.
The home side dominated the first half to lead 40-6 at the break at Aubrey Keech Reserve, Hinchinbrook, before the Sea Eagles showed some fight in the second half.
It was the second consecutive week that Manly Leagues have conceded more than 50 points. The loss leaves the Sea Eagles winless after six rounds.
Manly Leagues Coach John Faiumu again stepped up to play for the team at five-eighth after playing half-back in his first game last week due to a heavy injury toll.
The Sea Eagles were also without hard working prop Nicholas Bilsborough who will line up for Manly’s NSW Cup team for the second consecutive week.
Unfortunately, the Sea Eagles got off to the worst possible start, conceding a try in the first 43 seconds to full-back Brad Abbey following a break by hooker and captain Joseph Tramontana for a 6-0 lead.
Abbey crossed again when he backed up centre Jack Miller to make it 12-0 after five minutes.
Things quickly got worse for Manly Leagues when second-rower Lleyton Borg and Miller crossed for a 22-0 lead after 22 minutes.
Five minutes later, Abbey then backed up a break down the right side to cross for his hat-trick for a commanding 28-0 lead.
It became 34-0 after 32 minutes when second-rower Nicholas Stonestreet ran off a short pass from half-back Keahlan Bray to cross next to the posts.
Manly Leagues got on the board when forward Patrick Lavemai managed to get the ball down in a three man tackle to leave the Sea Eagles trailing 34-6
A spilt ball by full-back Braith Alexander saw Mounties centre Roman Ioelu race 60 metres to score for a 40-6 lead at half-time.
Faiumu showed his team the way when he stepped and brushed past three defenders to score next to the posts to leave the Sea Eagles trailing 40-12 after 44 minutes.
The celebrations were short-lived when Ioelu dived over in the corner three minutes later for a 44-12 scoreline.
Faiumu then showed his skills when he put through a grubber kick only for Mounties to ground the ball to prevent a Manly Leagues try.
Sea Eagles hooker James Borges then scored the try of the match when he backed up prop Josh Maree to beat six defenders to score a superb try for a 44-18 scoreline with 18 minutes remaining.
Mounties then scored two tries in two minutes through Borg again and Isaac Chapman for the 54-18 scoreline.
Manly Leagues now play Hills Bulls at 4 Pines Park on Saturday, May 9, at 5pm in a rare curtain raiser to the NRL game.
