Match Report: NRL Round 16 vs Bulldogs

Manly led 8-6 at half time and outscored the Bulldogs three tries to two but had little luck with the boot.

The Sea Eagles were given their first attacking opportunity three minutes into the game after the Bulldogs failed to diffuse a bomb, but came away empty-handed.

A few minutes later at other end of the ground the Bulldogs had a chance to shine but were turned away by Manly’s scrambling left edge defence.

Manly scored their opening try in the seventh minute when Tolu Koula provided a neat ball for Lehi Hopoate to cross in the northwestern corner.

It came after a magnificent break down the eastern touchline from Jason Saab. The ball then stretched from one side of the field to the other, leaving Bulldogs defenders in disarray.

A wayward pass in their own red zone put Manly under pressure in the 11th minute but again they were able to turn the Bulldogs away.

While defending their line during that period Kobe Hetherington copped a head knock and was sent for a HIA. 

Nathan Brown was thrown into the mix and Hetherington, after being assessed as category one, did not return.

Manly fans were on their feet in the 17th minute when Luke Brooks made a clean break and again moments later when Olakau’atu charged into space.

A few minutes later Manly second their second try when Reuben Garrick darted out of dummy half from close range.  In the act of scoring Garrick copped a knock to the head and was also sent for a HIA.

Those points also saw Reuben move pass Jamie Lyon to outright second on Manly’s all-time points scoring list. 

Jamal Fogarty was unable to convert from wide out. His kick bounced off the near upright to leave the Sea Eagles up 8-0 after 21 minutes.

The Bulldogs turned a good opportunity into their first points of the match after Manly coughed up possession on their own 40-metre line.

In the 34th minute Stephen Crichton, who was moved from the centres to five-eight, took advantage of a favourable bounce of the ball to ground Lachlan Galvin’s well-weighted kick in goal.

Canterbury landed the conversion from wide out to go into the sheds trailing Manly 8-6 at half time.

The Sea Eagles suffered a further injury setback early in the second half when hooker Brandon Wakeham was assisted from the field with a calf injury in the 43rd minute, and not to return.

A booming 40-20 by Fogarty then put Manly on the front in the 47th minute but they were unable to turn the opportunity into points.

The Bulldogs went close to scoring in the 50th minute but a Matt Burton bullet pass took a deflection and sailed into touch.

Manly was clinging to a two-point lead with the game in the balance when the home side scored their second and final try of the game.

Halfback Galvin accelerated close to the Manly goal-line, slipping past Ben Trbojevic, to put his team in front for the first time in the match at 12-8.

Manly threatened to score with 16 minutes to play after Saab made a break down the western touchline. That was followed by a well-weighted kick in goal by Ben Trbojevic which bounced kindly for Dogs, preventing a Manly try.

Older brother Tom was next to dribble a kick in goal to force a repeat set with 13 minutes to play, which led to Manly’s first points of the second half.

From the next set Koula provided his second try-assist pass for Hopoate to score his second of the night. Fogarty’s conversion attempt - for the second time in the match - bounced off the upright, leaving the scores locked at 12-12.

Another break down Manly’s right edge had Manly on course for more points but for a desperate try-saving tackle by Bulldogs forward Harry Hayes which dragged Garrick down metres from the line.

Fogarty looked to have put his team ahead with eight minutes remaining only for his drop goal attempt from in front to sail wide of the posts.

The Bulldogs were soon on the attack at the other end with just five minutes remaining after Saab failed to take a Burton bomb cleanly.

Manly’s desperate goal-line defence again held firm as the Bulldogs continued to search for the match-winning points.

Crichton had a chance to snatch victory in the 77th minute but like Fogarty’s, his attempt at a one-pointer also missed the mark.

A mistake in yardage by the Dogs gave Manly one last chance to steal it in regular time but despite being well set, they just couldn't get a clean shot away.

And so, after 80 minutes of nail-biting action, with score locked at 12-12, the contest went into extra time.

The Bulldogs made a long-range break down the eastern touchline in their first set of golden point and went very close to scoring.

A minute later, up stepped Crichton. This time he didn’t miss, landing the match-winning drop goal in the third minute of golden-point extra time.

Up next for Manly is a clash at 4 Pines Park against the Melbourne Storm on Saturday 27th June.