NRL round 20: Manly Sea Eagles defeat Gold Coast Titans 38-8, Tom Trbojevic stars
Tom Trbojevic ensured there was to be no happy homecoming for Des Hasler and the Gold Coast Titans at 4 Pines Park, with the Sea Eagles turning up the heat in their charge for finals footy.
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When Luke Brooks is running, Four Pines Park is a happy place.
And following the five-eighth’s best game in a Manly jumper in his team’s 38-8 demolition of Gold Coast Titans on Sunday, Manly fans are cautiously optimistic about their team’s chances of a top-4 ladder spot.
It would help if they played all their games at home, however, given the Sea Eagles have now won seven of eight games at “Fortress Brookvale”, the only anomaly a two-point loss to Canberra Raiders after leading 24-6 in the rain.
On a bluebird afternoon, though, in front of a full moon, an old coach and another near-capacity crowd of 16,050, the Sea Eagles recovered from a slow start to roll over the Titans.
BROOKS OUTSTANDING
Manly coach Anthony Seibold said Brooks’s hand in the seven-tries-to-two victory was his best game for the club.
“I actually said that to the boys [in the sheds post-match]. I gave a couple of shout-outs to ‘Chez’ [Daly Cherry-Evans] and Jake [Trbojevic] for backing up [after State of Origin],” Seibold said.
“The other one was ‘Brooksy’. With Chez being away the last week and a half, we wanted him to come back in and not have to think about doing all the organisation of it all.
“Brooksy’s really stepped up in Chez’s absence and he was really, really good today. Outstanding.
“You think back to when he’s played his best. He’s had a 200-game career. He won a Dally M halfback of the year, it was on the back of that running game.”
EYE-YI-EYE
Luke Brooks opened the scoring for Manly with a big step and swerve through some threadbare Titans defence.
The five-eighth was involved again with a quick shift to the left that saw Lehi Hopoate, who couldn’t see out of a heavily-bruised and closed left eye, cross in the left corner before tip-toeing along the dead ball line to score near the posts.
Lehi Hopoate didn't let his eye injury stop him from scoring! 👊
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Hopoate did not return after half-time and was treated for a fractured eye socket.
After clashing heavily in-goal with Garrick, Titans backrower Beau Fermor was assessed with a ‘category three’ head injury assessment, according to Fox Sports.
PROFESSIONAL FOUL
Titans winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira was perhaps lucky to stay on the field when he pulled down Jason Saab as the rangy winger set off in pursuit of a runaway Cherry-Evans.
While the incident took place 70 metres from the Gold Coast’s line and there was no thought of a penalty try, the play appeared a clear professional foul, as fans in the packed Jane Try Stand asserted in one voice.
Manly had momentum by this stage in the second half and Tom Trbojevic lofted a pure pass for Saab who crossed on the right.
When Manly shifted right in their own red zone and Reuben Garrick made a break, Trbojevic loomed up on the inside to ice an 80-metre movement.
Trbojevic was imperious for his team at fullback, running for 213 metres, and setting up four line breaks and three try-assists.
When he crossed for his second try it was party time at Four Pines Park, the happy crowd enjoying further tries by Ben Trbojevic and Tommy Talau, who also ran for 301m.
TITANS STRUGGLE
Des Hasler would’ve been excited by the start of his 15th-placed team against a side that has now won seven of eight games at home.
David Fifita showed qualities Billy Slater might have utilised in State of Origin with a slick catch-and-pass that set up the game’s first try to Khan-Pereira.
On a fast and firm surface on a blue-bird winter’s afternoon, the Titans shifted from the kick-off and ran the Steeden 50 metres down field. As the Sea Eagles back-peddled, Fermor reached out and slam-dunked try number two.
When Manly did make forays into Titans territory, there was too much sticky spray on the hands of Tom Trbojevic and he knocked on playing the ball.
The Titans kept on running. In the first 20 minutes, Manly had missed 16 tackles while the Titans had run for 408 metres and made six line breaks.
But then they opened up. And it was party time at Four Pines Park.
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