NRL 2021: Manly Sea Eagles win 40-22 over Cronulla Sharks | Match Report

With Nathan Cleary injured Tom Trbojevic has pressed his claims as the NRL’s best player, producing arguably the best individual performance of the season.

Tom Trbojevic has produced one of the individual performances of the season. Picture: NRL Photos

The Tom Trbojevic-inspired Sea Eagles now have a top four finish firmly on their radar after putting the Sharks to the sword 40-22 with a scintillating display of attacking rugby league.

Des Hasler likes his side to fly “under the radar” but with 12 wins from their last 15 games the Sea Eagles are now above the fray and viewed by the teams above them as a real threat. Just two points behind the fourth placed Eels, they will aim to fight attacking fire with fire against the red hot Storm on Saturday night.

Trbojevic owned the second half as only he can with three tries in 11 minutes as the Sharks fell apart in what became a spiteful affair with Sharks centre Will Chambers giving plenty of lip.

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Tom Trbojevic has produced one of the individual performances of the season. Picture: NRL Photos

Manly’s attack was just sensational against Cronulla in the opening 20 minutes. Razzle dazzle football from Daly Cherry-Evans, Tom Trbojevic, Jason Saab and Morgan Harper saw them get out to 16-0. The Sharks, with their trademark street smarts, hung in there and hit back with tries to Will Kennedy and Braydon Trindall to set up the second half.

Hasler said he would continue to manage Trbojevic’s game time ahead of the finals. He was already looking ahead to the Storm when he spoke post-match.

“We are trying to play a complete game,” Hasler said.

“We have just got to be a little more urgent and patient with the ball, and build pressure, particularly in the tight games around the corner.

“You certainly can’t give [the Storm] any opportunity and you need to limit their field position. They are good at strangling sides and we will need to be especially good.

“The top four is something we would like to aspire to but we’ve got to keep…winning.”

TURBO CHARGED

Tommy Turbo blitzed the second stanza and it was soon 40-10 on the back of his third hat-trick in his last four games for Manly. On top of the three tries, he had three try assists, 11 tackle breaks, five offloads, three linebreaks and six linebreak assists. Fox League’s Greg Alexander said in commentary that Trbojevic “makes it look like park footy”. It was like he was playing a different game to the rest. The Manly fullback now has 22 try assists and 18 tries in just 11 games this year. Trbojevic was given an early shower with 12 minutes to go.

SILKY SAAB

The acrobatics and skill of lanky Manly winger Saab have lit up the NRL this year and he took it to another level with a stunning try that combined the skills of a contortionist and a gymnast. Collecting a Cherry-Evans kick while going over the touch-in-goal line he somehow got the ball to ground from his skyscraper height. His double took his try tally to 18 for the year.

Jason Saab scored one of the tries of the season, nabbing another double. Picture: NRL Photos.

SHARK HUNT

The Sharks, in eighth on points differential, are now one of five teams on 18 points and all battling for two finals spots.

Cronulla coach Josh Hannay said on Fox League before the game that he wanted his team to make a “line in the sand” statement with their performance with the semi-finals looming. It wasn’t the statement he had in mind but he was proud of his side’s courage and desperation.

“We never celebrate losses but there was a lot of character shown by a pretty young footy side out there,” Hannay said.

“There are going to be ups and down, ebbs and flows and teams leapfrogging each other. We just need to control our own destiny.”

The performance of Chambers, who was giving it verbally to Manly all night, did not impress Hannay.

“I didn’t enjoy it. When you are behind on the scoreboard I am loathe for our guys to be too chirpy,” Hannay said.

“I think everyone knows that Will likes to get under people’s skin. It was his first game back in a while and he probably let his emotions get the better of him.”

Cronulla’s next four games are against teams beneath them on the ladder so their finals hopes remain very much alive. Getting playmaker Matt Moylan back on the park will help that cause and Hannay will be sweating on his return from a calf injury against the Warriors. The attacking wares of Trindall and Kennedy, who both scored doubles against Manly, will be crucial in the next month.