MANLY SEA EAGLES 18 ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS 20
CALLUM WALKER, 4 Pines Park, Thursday
IT was a game that went down to the wire, but it was the Dragons breathing fire at the end of the 80 minutes as Manly were left to rue a missed Reuben Garrick conversion.
Points were at a premium in the opening 40 minutes with Valentine Holmes going close for the visitors before Tyrell Sloan continued his fine try-scoring form around the midway point in the first half off a Clint Gutherson pass.
Holmes converted and the centre added a penalty with seconds remaining after Manly were found guilty of a high tackle.
An eight-point lead quickly became 14-0 when the sides emerged from the sheds as Sloan grabbed his second with a wonderful long-range effort.
But finally the Sea Eagles perked into life to notch their first points of the night, Tolutau Koula taking a Tommy Talau pass to cross on 50 minutes.
Reuben Garrick converted and reduced the deficit to six moments later with a penalty despite Toafofoa Sipley being sin-binned for a dangerous tackle before the hosts levelled the scores as the hour approached.
Another stunning Lehi Hopoate break paved the way for Ben Trbojevic to make it 14-14 but Jacob Liddle sent the Dragons back into a 20-14 lead on the hour.
And, despite Jason Saab’s late effort, St George held on with Garrick’s missed conversion the difference.
SEA EAGLES: 1 Lehi Hopoate, 2 Jason Saab, 3 Tolutau Koula, 4 Reuben Garrick, 5 Tommy Talau, 6 Luke Brooks, 7 Daly Cherry-Evans, 10 Siosiua Taukeiaho, 9 Jazz Tevaga, 17 Toafofoa Sipley, 11 Haumole Olakau’atu, 12 Ben Trbojevic, 13 Jake Trbojevic. Subs (all used): 14 Jake Simpkin, 15 Nathan Brown, 16 Ethan Bullemor, 18 Clayton Faulalo
Tries: Koula (50), B Trbojevic (57), Saab (67); Goals: Garrick 3/4; Sin bin: Sipley (53) – dangerous tackle
DRAGONS: 1 Clint Gutherson, 2 Tyrell Sloan, 3 Moses Suli, 4 Valentine Holmes, 5 Mathew Feagai, 6 Kyle Flanagan, 7 Lachlan Ilias, 8 Toby Couchman, 9 Damien Cook, 10 David Klemmer, 12 Jaydn Su’a, 17 Dylan Egan, 13 Jack De Belin. Subs (all used): 11 Luciano Leilua, 14 Jacob Liddle, 15 Blake Lawrie, 16 Hamish Stewart. 18th man (used): 18 Sione Finau
Tries: Sloan (19, 47), Liddle (62); Goals: Holmes 4/4
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-8; 0-14, 6-14, 8-14, 14-14, 14-20, 18-20
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Sea Eagles: Lehi Hopoate; Dragons: Toby Couchman
Penalty count: 5-8; Half-time: 0-8; Referee: Peter Gough; Attendance: 17,254
