Wests Tigers have handed Manly a wet weather footballing lesson in a 34-18 win at a sodden Leichhardt Oval on Sunday.
The Tigers totally dominated the first half, scoring four-tries-to-one and went to the sheds ahead 26-6 after a late Jamie Lyon try that gave the Sea Eagles some hope of a comeback
But that hope all but evaporated when David Nofoaluma scored his second try in the 53rd minute to put the Tigers out to 32-6 with Pat Richards’ conversion.
In one of their worst performances for some time Manly’s poor ball handling that punctuated the first stanza continued in the second.
But the Tigers were worthy winners before 16,311 fans, dominating the ruck through Robbie Farah and the yardage and showing they are genuine premiership contenders.
In driving rain with the wind on their backs the Tigers blew Manly off the park in the opening half to the extent that the Sea Eagles had to wait until the 35th minute for their first play-the-ball in Wests’ 20m zone.
Tigers skipper Robbie Farah started things off in the eighth minute when he grubbered through for himself. With that conversion and a penalty goal the Tigers led 8-0 after 20 minutes led up front by Aaron Woods with Marty Taupau later adding significant punch off the bench.
Nofoaluma scored out wide when the Tigers went through the hands in the 24th minute and when Chris Lawrence’s hard-running couldn’t be stopped three minutes later the home side led 20-0.
Woods then crashed over untouched one pass off the ruck next to the posts and with another Pat Richards goal the Tigers had jumped out to a 26-0 lead after 34 minutes.
Manly finally got on the board in the 40th minute when Jamie Lyon caught a Kieran Foran kick and then converted for a 26-6 score at the break.
Farah complained Manly’s final play-the-ball had come after time, and officials later said the automated siren did not go off.
“That’s an issue for the club to get better sirens,” referee Ashley Klein told Farah.
That incident steeled the Tigers after the break and they did well to keep rolling forward through the second half into the wind as Steve Matai scored a double.
Brett Stewart had a forgettable return at fullback for Manly, dropping a number of balls in his first game since round one. Glenn Stewart missed the game through concussion suffered last week.
Tim Simona was solid in his return from injury for the Tigers, while a James Tedesco ankle complaint took some of the gloss off the win. He went off in the 50th minute and didn’t return.
Bluebag
Guest
Well said. Potter has them all playing with enthusiasm (even Anasta who has now been hit with a shoulder charge allegation!) but they are a young team building. Wests Tigers shouldn't get too far ahead of themselves - I'm sure the coach won't.
Pot Stirrer
Guest
Perhaps Manly were of becuase they would have lifted to play the Roosters after losing 5 games last year to them including the GF and then they have the Drama thats going on over GS who i dont think the club want to resign for the money he wants and then to come up against a young hot Tigers side, admittedly its hindsight but per haps not that surprising after all.
uPelican
Guest
S.L. You might be on to something even if being satirical. Manly are a great side and have usually been there at the business end. But they do have a bit of a "temperament" to them I have to say ; usually just after half time. If they played two halves at full speed each week; they'd kill the for and against stats. Go Manly
chivasdude
Guest
I agree with Jimbo Jones. Manly is one of the most consistent teams in the NRL. They are tough and very disciplined. That made their performance against the Tigers almost inexplicable. A tough day for Manly or a great day for the Tigers? I prefer the latter. The Tigers have a great blend of experience and youthful enthusiasm. Remember the incident where the Manly dummy half passed from 5 metres out from the Tigers try line over the heads of his support to beyond the 20 metre line, then for James Gavet to run past a stream of Manly players to fall on the ball? That told the whole story. Manly were out worked and out enthused. All Tigers players went well, but special mention for Robbie Farah, a quite outstanding game. And with Pat Richards back, we finally have a consistently great goal kicker again. Things are looking good! Let's not burden the Tigers with too many expectations though. This is a young team and it is a long way home from here. And Manly will bounce back, they are too good a team not to do so.
planko
Roar Guru
I was more worried about Lightning ... But rain is bad up high or on the hil.
Jimbo Jones
Guest
I'd have to disagree with you, they have been very consistant over the past 5+ years and you generally know what you are going to get. A tough and hardfought battle in the forwards, and some experienced backs to trouble you on the edges. How often have they been blown off the park in this period? I would say that it woudlnt have been too many times.
Jimbo Jones
Guest
Good post until you stuck the boot into Benji. He was a great player for the Tigers and you should cherish his years there
Pete
Guest
I was there in the best seat in the house! Was in a cherry picker with my bro- was an amazing view over the ground- was drenched but would have been on the hill anyway!!
Pot Stirrer
Guest
I wonder how bg his profile is in the UK, I think theyd be mad to throw big money at him. Hes a shadow of the player he once was
S.L.
Roar Rookie
You know, Manly remind us more and more of the teams of Islanders that play out in the countries of the Pacific. When you watch those blokes; you can see some really inventive, exotic and exuberant plays that literally create tries out of nothing. Brilliant and creative ball movement, passing and running that just explode against the run of play to come up with points. But the other side of the coin to this is that we see those guys, when there have been a few dropped balls; a few missed tackles; a few dumb plays, just collapse and throw in the towel with a sort of shrug of the shoulders which says; ' oh well, we don't have our muse with us today, don't worry about it, we'll write this one off and play another day'. Manly strike me as sort of like creative artists. Manly the Michelangelos (TM). When they haven't tapped into their creative muse, or when they begin to doubt the creative muse will be with them that day, the other sides - sides we would never expect, can just run over the top of them. They are not at all a team that plays percentage football; grinding away with a relatively consistent game plan each week. Their game plan, such as it is, really seems to me to be one which sets a platform which then allows the creative muse to stir, and when stirred, for the artists to interpret the run of play and just explode into being with exotic, creative and exhilarating play. Or we get days like yesterday, where the Tigers led them 26-0 at one point; or days like a couple of weeks ago when a last minute creativity got them out of gaol on the 79th minute against Parra at Brookie, or where the creative muse deserted them after leading Melbourne by 20 points at half time, only to lose by a field goal in golden point. One thing we must say about Manly - we can never expect any particular outcome from week to week with them, we really just have to watch to see what they happen to come up on the day, whether they are inspired to create something astonishing, or to stand there shrugging their shoulders and saying ' We don't feel the vibe today, there is always next week'. This is probably what makes Manly such a compelling team for all NRL fans to watch. Are they going to produce a masterpiece or a finger painting? We just don't know until the day of play.
planko
Roar Guru
Dave they played great and especially had a big first half. Were you there ? I was only asking cause the missus and I did take some fun out of the "best seat in the house" Did you see that the people up in a crane in the howling wind and rain ? Btw about Benji I have read he is looking to play Super League ? Was moving to Rugby just a ploy to get outside the salary cap at the super league ? I am very cynical by nature but there you go food for thought.
Dave
Guest
What a wonderful win for us long suffering Tiger fans. This is truly an exciting team. The balance of youth to experience is a bit tipped to the youth side, but that will change as we get deeper into the season. We have beaten the Titans, South and now Manly. The Titans sit on top of the ladder, Souts and Manly have been widely tipped to figure for the major prize. In all of those games, the media have written that the other team didn't play well. Perhaps we should look at the Tigers smothering defence, and the game plan from a very wily coach. Letting late points in as a bad hablt, but maybe it is fatigue from smothering the attacking sides. Benji has splinters in his backside from the reserves bench. We tigers fans say BENJI WHO?