Matt Orford’s kicking game against the Newcastle Knights yesterday afternoon effectively sums up what has been a sombre start to the NRL season for the Manly Sea Eagles.
Despite providing the delicate grubber that allowed Sea Eagles centre Steve Matai to score the first try against Newcastle, Orford’s boot provided little of the skill that won him the Dally M medal last year as the NRL’s best player.
In fact, his performance closely resembled that of a team lacking punch from Brent Kite, the skill of Glenn Stewart, and the potency of Anthony Watmough.
Those key figures, who were a clinical part of Manly’s grand final triumph last season, were powerless to stop a Knights side that ran them ragged for sixty minutes.
Key Knights players, Kurt Gidley and Ben Rogers, were able to marshal a brilliant offense when the home side finally had their even share of possession midway through the first half.
The Sea Eagles were dominating their opponents early in the game, but only had a six point lead to show for it.
Orford’s last play options on several occasions were below NRL standard, kicking out on the full twice to hand Newcastle the territory to dominate the game.
The Sea Eagles premiership half, however, was not helped by a Manly pack that failed to make any significant inroads against a stern Knights defence.
And when Newcastle duo Zeb Taia and Junior Sau scored back to back tries for a 10-6 lead heading into the break, one could sense that Manly’s confidence had taken a dive.
The lack of intensity from the Sea Eagles eventually became apparent in the second half, with Knights winger James McManus scoring an easy try just four minutes after the resumption of play.
You then only had to look at the solemn face of winger David Williams, after Akuila Uate scored his brilliant try, to sense that Manly were well on their way to a shocking 0-4 record to start their premiership defence.
A brilliant try to Kurt Gidley was the final nail in the coffin for a Manly side that have now equalled the worst start to a season by a defending premier.
The Broncos in 1999 and the Storm in 2000 were the other teams who failed to win their first four matches on the back of premiership victories the previous season.
A consolation try to Manly winger Shane Neumann at the end of the game just provided temporary morphine to a side now feeling the pinch of backing up a premiership triumph.
Although times are lean both on and off the field for Manly, the expected return of star Brett Stewart from a four game suspension next weekend should see the Sea Eagles officially start their premiership defence with a much needed victory.
One only needs to look at Stewart’s try scoring record to see why the Sea Eagles are probably dreaming of a maiden victory on their trip home from the Hunter.
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