Match Report: Indigenous Round vs Dolphins

Although the effort was there from start to finish, it was a night of missed opportunities for the Sea Eagles as the Dolphins strengthened their quest for a top four finish.

The home side had plenty of scoring opportunities in a gritty opening 20 minutes but failed to come away with points, in a sign of things to come.

The Dolphins opened their account with a Jamayne Isaako penalty goal in the 25th minute after Manly were pinged for a high tackle on Selwyn Cobbo.

Minutes later, and after a few set restarts, the Phins scored their first try of the match with Manly down to 12 men.

Milestone man Tolu Koula, playing his 100th game, was sent to the sin bin in the 28th minute for a professional foul while his team were under attack on their own line.

The Dolphins took full advantage of the extra man with five-eighth Kodi Nikorima showing skill and muscle to cross on the Hill side of the ground on the hour mark.

Isaako converted to give the Dolphins an 8-0 lead.

Manly looked to hit back quickly, playing some fast footy down the eastern touchline, and forcing the Dolphins to give away repeated penalties. 

Dolphins second row Connelly Lemuelu soon joined Koula in the bin for repeated infringements, as the match approached half time.

Both teams traded set for set to start the second half, with the Dolphins leading 8-nil.

Manly half Jamal Fogarty looked to have nailed a booming 40/20 early in the second half but the ball was judged to have crossed the chalk centimeters short of the 20-metre mark.

A try-saving tackle by Clayton Faulalo on Cobbo was another moment that had Manly fans in full voice after Cobbo was bundled over the western touchline.

Manly had a try denied when a pass from Reuben Garrick to Jason Saab was deemed forward, after Saab had raced away to score in the Ken Arthurson Stand corner.

In the blink of an eye the Dolphins were in for their second try of the match when Cobbo managed to plant the ball in the northwestern corner under the weight of several defenders.

Isaako’s conversion from the touchline had the visitors up 14-0 with twenty minutes to play.

Four minutes later, they were in again, off a long-range intercept.

Isaako read the play well collecting a long pass from Joey Walsh and racing 90 meters before finding his centre Jack Bostock, who crossed for their third of the night.

Manly continued to find good field position with some strong carries through the middle, and multiple set restarts, but the goal line defence of the Dolphins proved too good.

Lehi Hopoate had an acrobatic effort overturned in the 71st minute as he was taken into touch milliseconds before grounding the ball.

And again, the Dolphins scored just moments after the Sea Eagles had a try disallowed.

Their fourth and final try was scored by Isaako in the 73rd minute which notched up 1000 points for the Dolphins in just 93 games.

He was unable to convert his own try, leaving the score 22-0 at full time.

The Dolphins’ fourth win in a row lifted them to fourth on the ladder, with Manly remaining four points outside the eight with three games remaining.

The Sea Eagles travel to Newcastle next Saturday to take on the Knights at McDonald Jones Stadium in Round 25.