A two-try performance from Jake Trbojevic has spearheaded Manly to a 38-24 win over Brisbane that ended their five-game NRL losing streak.
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Final score
Manly Sea Eagles 38
Brisbane Broncos 24
Will the Manly Sea Eagles avoid six straight losses or will the Brisbane Broncos consolidate their spot in the top eight? Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting at 7:35pm AEST.
Manly coach Trent Barrett will enter Saturday night’s clash with the Broncos quietly confident of turning their season around after almost upsetting the Roosters last weekend.
After a string of disappointing losses, the Sea Eagles stunned the Tricolours to gain an early 10-0 lead before eventually falling 22-20.
The effort was there but poor ball handling let them down with Manly managing to complete just 68 per cent of their 40 sets with the ball in hand.
The Sea Eagles will also have to overcome a 0-5 record away from Lottoland this year. To make it worse they have also lost their past four games at Suncorp Stadium.
The Broncos were on the right side of a 22-20 scoreline last weekend when they struck late to down the Bulldogs.
Despite conceding just three penalties and completing at 87 per cent, Wayne Bennett’s men only just escaped with the two points, with the slippery playing surface at Suncorp Stadium proving a roadblock.
Sam Thaiday suits up for his 150th game at the venue on Saturday night and is only the second Bronco to do so with the retired Corey Parker the only other to achieve this feat.
Jack Bird has been moved out of the halfback position this week and returns to the No.4 jersey.
Manly led the Broncos 14-0 in the corresponding fixture last year before Bennett’s men stormed home to claim a 24-14 win.
Tip
After last week’s effort, the Sea Eagles look primed to finally break their losing streak. However, they will need an improved performance from out-of-form fullback Tom Trbojevic if they are to come out on top.
Manly by two.
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting at 7:35pm AEST.
steveng
Roar Rookie
'your beloved team' took to the field with 15 players (13 + 2 refs, that is why they won) once they only play with 13 this is what happens.
thomas coates
Guest
the broncos continue to disappoint. It sounds like some of the forwards are going okay, but it's a sinking feeling to consider that your team might not make the finals and based on form, wouldn't deserve to. (I've decided to nominate the tigers as my backup team to support.) And you feel for a couple players who are attacking weapons, who signed up on the assumption that the broncos are always contenders and are being asked to play away from the strengths they were purchased for. I look forward to whatever bizarre reshuffle we field next week. In honesty, I think Bennett may demote a player or two. I'm uncertain it'll help. And if the malaise continues, it'll sabotage contract negotiations and we could lose the best young talent and our limited reserves of experience (following already losing Blair, Hunt, Marshal)
Forty Twenty
Guest
Potentially a better pack than our recent golden era , hopefully they can reach their potential.
Forty Twenty
Guest
Some of the best attack I've ever seen from a Manly team was when we were at our best last year. When it works it's great because the breaks are largely around and just wide of the ruck and very direct . Doing it more often is our goal and getting the defence in better order. Pity someone gets injured every week though
Penrith Punter
Roar Guru
Not sure how beating Souths plays them into form either...
Ben
Guest
Souths travelling far better than your below mediocre team.
Emcie
Roar Guru
I dunno, for a while there half the Bulldogs squad were ex broncos, Titans and cowboys have always had a fair number of Bronco players too. Even Union and AFL have poached their fair share of big names from brisbane
Rellum
Roar Guru
It never used to be an issue until Cyril Connell passed on. Now we are not retaining our top talent.
Emcie
Roar Guru
To be fair, Broncos have always been a shopping ground for other teams
Nico
Guest
Yep the centre switch probably did nothing for their defensive patterns, not as much ball getting out to Corey Oates either
Rellum
Roar Guru
Those young forwards need to progress into quality top grade players and we need to keep them. That seems unlikely as the Broncs are now just a shopping ground for other teams.
Penrith Punter
Roar Guru
MATCH REPORT: The Sea Eagles have avoided their sixth-straight defeat after stunning the Broncos 38-24 in a high-scoring affair at Suncorp Stadium. Both Trbojevic brothers starred for the Manly side and put their names forward for a sky-blue jersey while the unheralded Addin Fonua-Blake also played a significant role in the win. Trent Barrett’s men have not had much go their way on and off the field recently, yet by the third minute of Saturday night’s game there was already a sense that their luck was about to change. A Daly Cherry-Evans grubber took an unfortunate bounce for Brisbane halfback Kodi Nikorima and then rebounded off Jack Bird’s shin straight into the grasps of Jake Trbojevic who dived over under the posts. The four-pointer was awarded and Manly held an early 6-0 lead after four minutes. It did not take long, however, for the ‘away’ side to hit back. Andrew McCullough showed great awareness to dart out of dummy-half and ground the ball despite an incredible defensive effort by Martin Taupau. A penalty a few minutes later saw Manly regain the lead courtesy of a penalty goal. However, McCullough was back at it a few minutes later when he put Sam Thaiday over for his first try since Round 13 last year. Poor ball handling was crippling Manly’s chances and they were also struggling with their discipline, with the Broncos earning a string of penalties near the Sea Eagles’ line. A penalty in the 24th minute saw Jamayne Isaako kick Brisbane out to a 14-8 lead. However, the Sea Eagles finally rediscovered their mojo late in the second half with their second try coming off a short ball from Dylan Walker to Joel Thompson. Tom Trbojevic had struggled with confidence in recent matches but he was at his scintillating best tonight, breaking through the line in the 36th minute to put his brother over despite a miraculous tackle by Darius Boyd. Consequently, the Sea Eagles held a 18-14 lead at the break. Isaako fumbled a towering Walker bomb in the opening minutes of the second half and the Sea Eagles suddenly camped themselves on the Brisbane line. An early penalty against Korbin Sims saw Cherry-Evans opt to extend Manly’s lead to six. The Broncos’ defence was uncharacteristically soft in the second half with the Sea Eagles’ next try coming off a simple scoot out of dummy half by Apisai Koroisau. Later, a well-executed short side raid on the last tackle saw Akuila Uate dive over in the 57th minute to give Manly a commanding 30-14 lead. The Broncos needed something special to get themselves back in the contest and it came in the form of a Nikorima chip kick which was brilliantly plucked out of the air by Anthony Milford in the 63rd minute. Any chance of a late comeback, however, was halted when Thompson nabbed his second off a perfectly weighted Cherry-Evans grubber kick. A 73rd minute penalty saw Cherry-Evans send it out to an 18-point ball game before a late consolation try to Isaako reduced the deficit to 14. In the end Manly proved too strong, claiming a comfortable 38-24 win. Both teams have monumental tests coming up next week. The Sea Eagles take on the Storm in Melbourne while the Broncos brace for the Roosters who are coming off a big 32-0 win over the Warriors.
Emcie
Roar Guru
Looked like Bennett was trying a few things out tonight, don't think he was expecting Manly to turn up the way they did
Emcie
Roar Guru
The forwards have had to pull double shifts two weeks in a row now and are missing two rep forwards, I'm not surprised they were tired. We've got a couple really good young forwards coming through, not sure we really needed to go shopping for more, we just need the full squad healthy
Alan
Guest
Considering that no team has ever come from 36-20 down to win in the history of rugby league, I’ll stick with mine.
PNGBF88
Guest
My beloved team has played three mediocre Sydney teams into form. Rabbits, Bulldogs and now the Sea Eagles. Well done Brisbane Broncos, mediocre has become you in 2018.
KenoathCarnt
Guest
Yea that is 2 weeks in a row for Haas with an immediate injury quite frustrating just want to see him play.
Nico
Guest
Brisbane clocked up a half century in missed tackles tonight, Manly only 24. Says it all really
Joe
Roar Rookie
Losing Haas early didn't help as well as he is the big body off the bench they needed. That said Manly lost Paseka as well early in the second so that evened up the match.
Emcie
Roar Guru
Manly are one of those teams that can beat anyone when they're on, should be a cracker if Manly can emulate tonights effort