Daly Cherry-Evans has inspired Manly to a 18-6 NRL win over fellow strugglers Canterbury to vault them out of wooden-spoon contention.
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Final score
Manly Sea Eagles 18
Canterbury Bulldogs 6
Round 22 of the NRL season continues this Saturday evening as the Manly Sea Eagles take on the Canterbury Bulldogs at the McGrath Foundation Stadium. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting at 5:30pm (AEST).
In recent weeks, the race for the eight has been matched by the race for teams trying to avoid the wooden spoon. Both these teams upstaged their semi-final bound rivals last weekend, with the Bulldogs playing an entertaining brand of football to beat the Broncos, while the Sea Eagles kept the hoodoo alive and well with a golden point win against the Sharks.
After the Manly’s capitulation against Penrith in the last 10 minutes of the previous round, the win against the Sharks showed plenty of character. Shaun Lane was huge, literally, against Cronulla whilst Daly Cherry-Evans was back to his best. He will need to repeat that form tonight for the Sea Eagles to earn another victory.
Frank Winterstein moves to the interchange bench in place of Jack Gosiewski. Otherwise, the Sea Eagles are unchanged.
The Bulldogs put together back to back wins for the first time this season last weekend so a 3rd win in a row this weekend would break further new ground. As is so often the case, a team out of the finals race is suddenly playing a less structured game of NRL and the results are there to see. The Bulldogs fans will be hoping for another exciting brand of football this weekend.
In changes to their team, Jeremy Marshall-King returns at halfback, so we have a battle of the hyphens in the no 7 jersey. David Klemmer returns from suspension, with both Greg Eastwood and Danny Fualolo starting from the bench.
Prediction
We should have a high scoring clash this evening, with a warm day in Sydney expected to result in dry conditions. To my thinking, this is really a toss of the coin decision but I’d expect Manly to get the win at home, especially if their fans turn up.
Join The Roar for live scores and a blog of the match, starting at 5:30pm (AEST).
Big daddy
Guest
Another gigantic NRL crowd
Zedman
Roar Rookie
Marshall King is flat being good enough for Premier League.
David Holden
Roar Guru
Yes, I think they are safe now
David Holden
Roar Guru
Lewis is only just starting out but he is the pick of the Bulldog's halves at the moment
David Holden
Roar Guru
Full Time That was a real game of two halves. After finishing the first half with only 45% of possession, Manly finishes the game with 54%. Penalties didn't play a major factor in the second half but, along with possession, the Sea Eagles also controlled field position. The Bulldogs goal line defence was impressive but Manly were good enough to score 3 tries in the second half. The Bulldogs clearly missed Lachlan Lewis in attack tonight and, whilst the forwards were making some good metres, the young halves didn't create enough chances. For the Eagles, Fonua-Blake was the best forward on the field whilst DCE controlled the game well. Hopoate was arguably the Bulldogs best. The NRL is not over for the night yet with Parramatta hosting St George Illawarra so please stay with us. But, for now, I hope you enjoyed the coverage of this one. Good night
Joel Erickson
Roar Guru
You'd hope that's enough to avoid the wooden spoon.
David Holden
Roar Guru
Full Time. Dogs go left and make good yards. But its all over here. Manly have won the second half 14-0 to beat the Bulldogs tonight. Sea Eagles 18 Bulldogs 6
Tom G
Guest
Hate to see the Dogs without Klemmer, Hopoate and Jackson. They totally carry this outfit. Frawley possibly the worst half ever in first grade and Marshall King not a great deal better
David Holden
Roar Guru
80' Forward pass early in the Manly set and the Dogs will just about feed the scrum. Sea Eagles 18 Bulldogs 6
David Holden
Roar Guru
79' Bulldogs go left early in the count and Brad Parker hits Brett Morris hard and takes him over the sideline Sea Eagles 18 Bulldogs 6
David Holden
Roar Guru
77' Suli makes a half break. Trbojevic kicks out on last Sea Eagles 18 Bulldogs 6
David Holden
Roar Guru
76' Brown runs it on last. That's not the right decision as Bulldogs had numbers on the left. Manly have the ball and they will get the chocolates in this one Sea Eagles 18 Bulldogs 6
David Holden
Roar Guru
75' Good run from Shaun Lane however he has lost it in tackle. The Bulldogs will need to score in this set Sea Eagles 18 Bulldogs 6
David Holden
Roar Guru
74' Bulldogs struggling to get out of their half before a 4th tackle play. Bomb on last taken by Trbojevic Sea Eagles 18 Bulldogs 6
David Holden
Roar Guru
73' Manly ruck it forward. DCE kicks early in count and finds touch only 10m out from the Bulldogs line Sea Eagles 18 Bulldogs 6
David Holden
Roar Guru
72' Remis Smith makes a long break. Klemmer, of all people, chips on last and Manly clean it up. Sea Eagles 18 Bulldogs 6
David Holden
Roar Guru
70' Big yards from Manly. Huge run from Fonua Blake. Great goalline defence from the Bulldogs and they hold on Sea Eagles 18 Bulldogs 6
David Holden
Roar Guru
69' Short kick off from Dogs is successful. The Bulldogs have gone right on the last. Holland has got over the line but appears to have lost it trying to put the ball down. That's the call of the Bunker and its a no try Sea Eagles 18 Bulldogs 6
David Holden
Roar Guru
69' DCE has kicked the easy conversion. Sea Eagles 18 Bulldogs 6
David Holden
Roar Guru
66' Another left side play but Kelly is held up in goal. Manly run it on last. DCE has hit Fonua-Blake with a short ball and the big Manly forward has scored. TRY Sea Eagles 16 Bulldogs 6