Match Report: NRL Magic Round vs Wests Tigers

It was a magical start to Magic Round the Sea Eagles, scoring after just four minutes and leading 24-6 at half time.

Tolu Koula showed all his tricks to score the opening try, beating four or five defenders from 60 metres out and adding further merit to his case for NSW Origin selection.

Luke Brooks scooped up a poor clearing kick from the Tigers, found Koula on his left, and the Tongan rocket did the rest.

The Sea Eagles missed an opportunity a couple of minutes later when a deflection saw a pass travel forward when Jason Saab was in a position to score.

Ten minutes into the match and Manly scored another magical long-range try, this time created by right centre Reuben Garrick.

Garrick drew two defenders before a flick pass to Jason Saab who raced 60 metres down the western touchline before improving the position for a successful conversion which made it 12-0 after 11 minutes.

Manly fans were in full voice again when a charging run by Haumole Olakau’atu sent his opposite edge forward Alex Seyfarth hurtling through the air.

Five minutes later Lehi Hopoate extended his try-scoring-streak to seven games after a pass from Koula, finishing it off in the south-eastern corner to make it 18-0.

The Tigers got on the board for the first time in the 22nd minute scoring off some clever ball movement to the left with Perth-bound winger Luke Laulilii crossing in the northwestern corner.

Manly scored again eight minutes out from the break when Olakau’atu broke through on the right edge delivering a lovely ball to Clayton Faulalo who finished it off.

On the stroke of half time Manly were penalised for offside giving the Tigers a gift two points to make it 24-8 at the break.

Four minutes into the second half Olakau’atu gave NSW Origin selectors yet another firm reminder of the damage he can cause busting tackles from close range before reaching out to score Manly’s fifth try.

A couple minutes later Hopoate was sent for a HIA which saw Blake Wilson given his first shot in a Manly jersey after joining from the Bulldogs this year.

Wilson became Sea Eagle #673 in the same match that saw Zach Dockar-Clay, who started at hooker, become Sea Eagle #672.

Faulalo continued to show his class at the back, having traded places with Koula last weekend. He played a big part in Manly’s next try just before the hour mark, delivering a peach of a pass which landed on the chest of a speeding Saab, who crossed for his second of the afternoon.

The Tigers were then left down a man for 10 minutes when Heath Mason was sent to bin for a professional foul, after impeding Jamal Fogarty who was chasing his own chip kick.

In the next set Manly were in again. Man-mountain Taniela Paseka crashed over under the black dot to have his team coasting to victory, up 40-8.

The onslaught continued in the next set on the back of another rampaging run from Olakau’atu. His 50-metre carry, discarding Jerome Luai in the process, led to Saab’s third try of the night, still with 19 minutes to play.

The back end of a largely one-sided contest saw Garrick have a try denied after failing to ground the ball correctly, and a couple of late consolations for the Tigers.

The win is Manly’s sixth in seven games and continues an impressive run of form under interim head coach Kieran Foran.

It also lifts the Sea Eagles to fourth on the ladder through 11 rounds, ahead of next weekend’s home game against the Gold Coast Titans at 4 Pines Park.

If Olakau'atu hadn’t already played himself into a Blues jersey, he probably has now.  His numbers include 261 metres from 21 runs to go with 11 tackle breaks. Enough said.