Manly Sea Eagles claimed their second NRL Premiership in four years with a 24-10 win over New Zealand Warriors in Sydney on Sunday.
Brave Warriors fall short with late rally
Manly Sea Eagles claimed their second NRL Premiership in four years with a 24-10 win over New Zealand Warriors in Sydney on Sunday.
Brothers Brett and Glenn Stewart both scored tries in front of an 81,988 crowd at Sydney's ANZ Stadium.
The Sea Eagles flew into an 18-2 lead largely through the efforts of NRL rookie of the year Dale Cherry-Evans but were forced to withstand a furious onslaught from the Warriors before making sure of an eighth title in their illustrious history.
Manly captain Jamie Lyon, the former St Helens centre and 2005 Super League Man of Steel, grabbed the clinching try but the early hero was 22-year-old half-back Cherry-Evans, who got full-back Stewart over for the game's first try and crucially scored the second on the stroke of half-time.
The Warriors, who had hoped to send departing coach Ivan Cleary out on a high, made a promising start and led 2-0 thanks to James Maloney's 28th-minute penalty but Manly gradually began to show why they were the clear pre-match favourites.
After winger Will Hopoate had a try disallowed midway through the first half, Stewart took an inside pass from Cherry-Evans to finally break the deadlock.
Cherry-Evans then finished off a break by Harlequins-bound winger Michael Robertson to touch down with 13 seconds left on the clock and Lyons' second goal made it 12-2 at the break.
Foran woe
Sea Eagles stand-off Kieran Foran had a try ruled out 14 minutes into the second half but the game looked to be over when loose forward Stewart went over for a third try after more good work from Lyon and Cherry-Evans.
Lyon's third goal opened up a 16-point lead but that sparked a tremendous fightback by the Warriors which brought tries for winger Manu Vatuvei and second rower Elijah Taylor.
However, Maloney missed both conversions to leave his side trailing by eight points and Lyon cut short the fightback with the clinching try two minutes from the end.
Robertson, a Scotland international, then marked his farewell appearance for the Sea Eagles by landing the touchline conversion.
