Both teams were desperate, both teams needed a win to keep in touch with the top eight but the Sea Eagles were the ones who walked off Brookvale on Sunday with their playoff hopes getting a timely boost and the Roosters were again regretting another one that got away.
After a week in which his team replaced him for next year with Luke Brooks and he signed his own new contract, Josh Schuster responded to his critics by setting up the match-winning try nine minutes from full-time as Manly hung on to record a crucial 18-16 triumph.
He will return to the forwards next year with Brooks in the halves but if he can keep combine touches of skill like this with surging runs, he could become a ball-playing back-rower in the mould of former Sea Eagles dual premiership winner, Glenn Stewart.
Manly are now just one point off eighth spot after their seventh win from 16 starts, with their draw earlier in the season with Newcastle, elevating them above the Roosters, who have slipped to a 7-9 record.
Schuster came up trumps in the clutch but it was his halves partner, Daly Cherry-Evans, who was the difference, scoring two tries and tormenting the Roosters throughout the match with his relentless kicking game.
James Tedesco. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
“I think Chez has been our best player this year,” Manly coach Anthony Seibold said. “Certainly the leadership he’s given our group and myself in particular has been outstanding.”
Tedesco confident he can turn Blues’ fortunes around
There have been calls for James Tedesco to step aside as NSW fullback in the wake of the Blues’ second straight series loss but the Roosters skipper is adamant he’s still the man for the job.
He racked up 274 running metres on Sunday, more than any other player on the field, and his involvement is still high, as it’s been in Origin where he hasn’t been able to translate that into many successful attacking raids.
“My focus is with the Roosters and it’s hard when we’re not winning games. I’ll wait for Origin if it comes and then I’ll get there and do my best,” he said after scoring a try in the Roosters’ narrow loss.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson was naturally unhappy with the result but thinks his team’s form has turned a corner.
“It wasn’t good enough tonight and so be it but we played our style. We were true to that. So there’s the platform,” he said.
Pendulum swings all game long
The Roosters claimed the first try of the match when Corey Allan, a late inclusion alongside Junior Pauga after Joseph Suaalii and Billy Smith were ruled out due to head knocks at training, touched down out wide.
However, the bunker spotted a knock-on as he contested the high kick.
Pauga was not denied when he plunged over in the corner midway through the first half when Joey Manu drew in two defenders before flicking the ball wide to his unmarked winger.
They missed the conversion but Manly then booted the restart out on the full.
Reuben Garrick put in a much better kick a few minutes later when the Tom Trbojevic fullback replacement backed up a Brad Parker break to chip ahead for Cherry-Evans to score for a 6-4 lead.
Despite losing hooker Jake Turpin to a category-one concussion from a mistimed tackle, the Roosters regained the lead when Nat Butcher served up a meat pie for Tedesco with a classy offload in traffic.
The pendulum swung back to Manly just before the break when DCE plucked a placid Luke Keary pass out of the air to put his side up 12-10.
Manu’s class shone through again five minutes into the second half when he broke free down the right edge and powered through the tackles of Garrick and Schuster.
Rookie playmaker Sandon Smith set up the try and booted the sideline conversion for a 16-12 buffer.
Both teams were below their best and depleted by injuries and they kept sparring throughout the second half, with neither able to make a further dent on the scoreboard until Schuster intervened in the 71st minute.
There has been plenty of debate about whether he’s a five-eighth but the oversized playmaker served up a perfect pass for Ben Trbojevic to crash over down the left edge to square the ledger before Garrick added the extras for a two-point advantage.
The Roosters had one last chance in the final minute to snatch victory but Smith’s cross-kick to a stretched Manly defensive line was batted away to spark equal measures of relief and jubilation in the peninsula.
Radley in hot water yet again
Roosters forward Victor Radley, who recently served a three-game ban for a late hit, was placed on report and fortunate referee Ben Cummins took no further action in the 54th minute after hitting Taniela Paseka high.
“He’s lucky he didn’t get binned for that one,” said Immortal halfback Andrew Johns on Nine commentary.
Radley has been found guilty of three charges this season so if the match review committee pings him for this one, he could be again spending time on the sidelines.
A tale of three Turbos
With Tom Trbojevic nursing his season-ending pectoral tear, it was Jake and Ben’s turn to step into the spotlight at Brookvale.
Jake was making his return from a calf injury and did more than enough to convince NSW coach Brad Fittler that he was up for an Origin III recall with doubts emerging about Broncos prop Payne Haas’ fitness due to an ankle problem.
“I always want the players to be aspirational,” Seibold said.
“Jake has represented the Blues for a long period of time now, so if he gets selected then he goes with our best wishes.
“He did a really good job today. The effort parts of his game are outstanding. He played 80 minutes off the back of playing only one game in eight or nine weeks.”
For Ben, he was also on the comeback trail after missing a month with a hamstring problem, and he took a leaf out of Tom’s book by bringing the Brookvale faithful to their feet with a surging run to the line to score what proved to be the match-winning try in the closing stages.
He then copped a high shot from Drew Hutchison during the frenetic finish but was able to see out the match as the Sea Eagles got home by the skin of their teeth.
with AAP
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
I've had a good look at the attempted tackle on Manu several times to see if your criticism is valid, in my opinion. I believe you are being harsh. Schuster anticipates the Manu break as it happens and takes off. He makes every effort to tackle him and take him over the sideline. He's not dealing with an average player , it's Manu. Manu once again beats a defender with power timing and intelligence. He steps back inside and braces for impact by ducking backwards into the tackle. He didn't give Schuster a decent shot and proved why he is one of the best players in the game. I don't blame Schuster at all. If you want to examine individual tackles then Manu's attempt on Parker was way way worse. Parker very rarely beats anyone and Manu had a perfect shot on him. Also examine Keary's effort on Ben T. He seemed to be completely and utterly fooled by someone. All his focus was on one player , Schuster. Yes he was fooled utterly and it's clear that Schuster did him cold. Schuster has rightly been criticised , even by DCE, but when he does good things or tries his best and fails he deserves a fair assessment.
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
There you go again, seeing things that aren't there. I didn't say "any" 5/8, actually I said "decent" 5/8, from which a sensible person would infer that I regard Schuster as a decent 5/8, at least from a passing perspective. Clearly, I was responding to Panthers' suggestion he would need to improve his effort, particularly in defence, if he's to play in the forwards. Yes I am being derisive, what's wrong with that?
Tom G
Roar Rookie
Yes I get it ... he makes 'half-hearted'tackle attempts and threw a match winning pass that any 5/8 could throw and you're not in any way being derisive. Crystal
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
I said the tackle was "half hearted" and look what you managed spin out of it.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
No presumptions needed
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
Evidentially you're the one making all sorts of presumptions about others' views. We get it MATE, you have a bee in your bonnet about this.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
As esteemed as that opinion is
Tom G
Roar Rookie
Evidently you ignore the fact that Manu is a big unit with a prolific try scoring ability that close to the line who had momentum created by the gap left by the two I mentioned. I suppose if Schuster had stopped him, according to the standards you hold.. it would’ve just been a regulation tackle. We get it mate you don’t like the kid
Bill
Roar Rookie
DCE in great form, Manly chasing points all game, it makes complete sense the ball will go to Cherry and Jake first and foremost. Shuster, has shown to be self aware enough with his comments to know that the big boys will take the lead in these moments. His left edge attack also has nothing on DCEs right with Haumole and Tolu. I think Shuster played as a young inexperienced half would play in a pressure game and I'm sure he would have learnt a few things. There were a few small touches of class throughout including his kick in goal and pass to Ben. I thought Kelma played out of his skin in attack compared to previously this season. His running reminded me of one of the old warriors from early 2000's that looked like a bull out of a gate when he ran. Hopefully his defence can match his attack and he might keep his spot
Gary Russell-Sharam
Roar Rookie
I thought that Schuster was definitely a passenger in the side he, IMO is lazy and his defence was very ordinary. I really think he will struggle in the forwards if he has to do some heavy work. Very overrated in my opinion.
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
I didn't go even close to saying that. Defenders missing tackles upfield (not sure why you single out Parker ...) does not entitle other defenders to give up on the play. Schuster gets to Manu about 1 or 2m from the try line and a similar distance from touch. He's no chance to stop Manu's momentum taking him over the try line but Schuster is a chance to get part of Manu across the sideline or disrupt his ball carry and put-down. I expect a backrower to make a better effort of it than Schuster did.
up in the north
Roar Rookie
I think DCE's year has been like turning the clock back, in fact he seems to me to be playing better than when he was younger, a renaissance man. How does JWH get away with his filth? Every game he does something dangerous and yet he's lauded as being a 'hard man' of the modern game. He's a grub, he had 2 goes at ol' mates eyes and no punishment. Contact with the head is a penalty remember.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
You mean the match winning try? The one that won the game? Yes he teally needs to lift his game. Seems like this kid is going to cop this stuff his whole career aided and abetted by Rothfield and his dopey mates in News(very) Limited
Tom G
Roar Rookie
You mean when Manu was already over the line with momentum having already beaten Tuipolotau and Brad Parker whose job it was to stop him? Yeah that was disgraceful. He really needs to give it away until he gets those super powers working lol
Tom G
Roar Rookie
Particularly ironic when his side were parked offside all of the first half.. were they the ‘perfect’ team then??
NSWelshman
Roar Rookie
Poor Trent Robinson once again whining when his team gets beaten fairly. Always excuses. Instead of making sarcastic remarks about Manly being the perfect team in the second half he should speak to his players about their discipline! Nothing about Radley's high shot or the JWH eye gouge. Oh we were dominant & we were this & that lolol. You lost so suck it up. Typical Robinson....always the victim. Tired of this Roosters rubbish!
NorthNarra
Roar Rookie
Major improvement in ball discipline, Jake and Ben back, DCE on fire brings a narrow victory over a depleted Roosters side. Had to take extra heart meds in the final five minutes. Barring catastrophic injuries to key players, this side might just squeeze eighth while (hopefully) learning to play competitively without Tom.
Panthers
Roar Rookie
Maybe you’ve seen him in a lot more games? I just haven’t seen him work hard in any game I’ve seen Manly play. I thought my assessment of what he should do if in the forwards, is pretty fair.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
Amazing how many people have forgotten that his break out season was in a 12 jersey. All this chatter about his being overrated, I can’t cop, he’s an exceptional talent. Very happy to see him re sign
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
Seems like they aren't binning Radley anymore (similar high tackle last week v raiders and nothing to see), as for JWH eye gouge...nothing to see here (pun intended).