Manly duo ‘on fire’ as ‘clunky’ Storm almost steal win in ‘bizarre’ finish: 3 Big Hits
Manly overcame an error-riddled start — and a fast finish from the Storm — to secure a 36-30 win with their veteran halves duo Kieran Foran and Daly Cherry-Evans stealing the show.
Cherry-Evans’ kicking game and Foran’s ball-playing was the talk of the game — although Manly took their foot off the pedal in the second half to allow the Storm claw their way back into the game in the final 10 minutes.
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Manly got on the board first through speedy centre Tolu Koula who ran 95 metres to score before the Storm hit back six minutes later.
Manly then laid on five consecutive tries before Brandon Smith scored off a one-on-one steal in his 100th NRL game.
Haumole Olakau’atu then scored for the Sea Eagles, but Smith’s four-pointer ignited something for the Storm.
They scored four tries in five minutes to keep Manly on their toes right until the final buzzer.
“What a crazy, bizarre, incredible ending here tonight,” Fox League commentator Warren Smith said.
BIG HITS
STAR HALVES DELIVER MASTERCLASS
The challenge was laid down to Daly Cherry-Evans before the game with Michael Ennis declaring the captain needed to “throw Manly on his back to start to get some life into his season” and the veteran halfback did exactly that.
Cherry-Evans nailed a 40/20 on the third tackle and his side scored in the next set.
Cooper Cronk said it was “great leadership,” while Greg Alexander called it the “game-changing moment.”
“We said it before the game, the long-kicking game of Cherry-Evans there’s none better in the competition,” Alexander added.
Cherry-Evans set up a try with a bomb and another in the second half with a cutout pass, while his halves partner Kieran Foran also pulled the strings in Manly’s win.
“If there’s a weakness at all in the Storm line-up it is on that right side in the inexperience of Marion Seve and young Grant Anderson – Kieran Foran is going there with every opportunity,” Ennis said.
“He’s played so direct and that’s what we love about Foran, he’s doing a really good job of attracting Jahrome Hughes.
“Cherry-Evans’ kicking game has been tremendous, but it’s Foran that’s really iced it.”
Alexander added: “Foran’s form this year has been a real turnaround from the years gone by… Foran’s been the mastermind.”
Cronk said Foran had been “toying” with the Storm and had “pulled out all the tricks tonight.” He also said both halves were “on fire.”
‘UNDERWHELMING’ STORM PUT ON SHOW
Manly coach Des Hasler is renowned for ambushes and it seems he had one brewing all along against the Storm… well at least until the final 10 minutes.
Although Melbourne were without star five-eighth Cameron Munster they were still considered firm favourites given they sat second on the ladder and Manly sat 10th.
Manly scored first with a thrilling 95-metre try and the Storm hit back just six minutes later – as expected.
But a Daly Cherry-Evans 40/20 triggered a five-try onslaught which didn’t stop until the Storm showed signs of life in the 53rd minute.
Cooper Cronk said his former side were “hot and cold” in the first half and then said in the second half that they “definitely look like a team lacking cohesion.”
Meanwhile, Michael Ennis said at half time that he was “highly underwhelmed” by the Storm’s attack because even some of their usual booming combinations fell flat.
“I’ve been highly underwhelmed with their attack to be honest,” Ennis said.
“I feel like tonight is probably as bad as I’ve seen Melbourne attack, particularly attacking the goal line. Often we see that combination of Hughes and Grant out of dummy half orchestrate nice pieces but tonight it’s looked really clunky.”
But something finally clicked – or perhaps Manly backed off — but the Storm snuck in four tries in five minutes to give Hasler a real scare.
It was too little, too late and Manly escaped with the win. It might have been just a six-point margin but the first 70 minutes will likely be a big concern for coach Craig Bellamy.
PAPENHUYZEN’S MIXED BAG IN ‘RUSTY’ PERFORMANCE
All eyes were on Ryan Papenhuyzen as he took the field for the first time since Round 9 but unfortunately it was a “rusty” return for the star fullback.
Papenhuyzen’s night started off on a sour note when Manly speedster Tolu Koula caught his grubber and ran 95 metres to score, but he responded by setting up Melbourne’s first try with a cutout pass to Nick Meaney.
The rest of the game was “hot and cold” according to Cooper Cronk who said Papenhuyzen had “come up with some errors and questionable plays but some really classy touches as well.”
Papenhuyzen tried — there’s no doubt about that — but he looked a shadow of his usual self. Perhaps the most telling moment was when he watched a Cherry-Evans bomb bounce which led to a Manly try.
“One of the greatest strengths in Papenhuyzen’s game is his courage, to see the ball and go after it no matter what is in front but he hesitated for a second,” Cronk said.
But Papenhuyzen put his touch on the game when he scored two tries in five minutes. He finished with 73 running metres, three try assists, five tackle busts, two linebreaks, two linebreak assists to go with his two tries but commentator Warren Smith summed up the performance best by saying he was “a little bit rusty.”
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TEAMS
Sea Eagles: 1. Reuben Garrick 2. Jason Saab 3. Morgan Harper 4. Tolutau Koula 5. Christian Tuipulotu 6. Kieran Foran 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Sean Keppie 9. Lachlan Croker 10. Toafofoa Sipley 11. Haumole Olakau’atu 12. Andrew Davey 13. Jake Trbojevic 14. Dylan Walker 15. Josh Schuster 16. Martin Taupau 17. Taniela Paseka. Replacement player: 18. Ben Trbojevic
Storm: 19. Ryan Papenhuyzen 1. Nick Meaney 3. Marion Seve 4. Justin Olam 5. Grant Anderson 14. Jayden Nikorima 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Harry Grant 15. Tui Kamikamica 11. Chris Lewis 12. Kenny Bromwich 13. Brandon Smith 2. Dean Ieremia 10. Josh King 17. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 18. Alec MacDonald. Replacement player: 20. Tyran Wishart
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