NRL 2024 round 15: Manly Sea Eagles 30 d. St George Illawarra 14

Manly held strong to overcome the Dragons with only 13 players at their disposal late in the second half after a series of unfortunate injuries.

Jake Trbojevic celebrates his try. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Manly overcame a slew of injuries in a rousing 30-14 win against St George Illawarra that ranks as one of the club’s gutsiest wins in recent memory.

Reuben Garrick suffered a HIA, Taniela Paseka a thumb fracture, Corey Waddell had an ankle issue and Toafofoa Sipley had a knee injury

Yet in front of a heaving, sold out crowd of 17,187, the home team posted four second-half tries to the Dragons one to post their best win of the season.

INJURY TIME

Taniela Paseka was one of the four players who were forced off the field. Picture: NRL Photos

The carnage began even before kick-off when Dragons centre Moses Suli (hamstring) was ruled out in the warm-up.

Paseka appeared to suffer a dislocated thumb and was in tremendous pain as a trainer tried to put it back in place. When that was unsuccessful, the prop forward was taken off and diagnosed with a possible fracture. He did not return.

When Sipley went off with a left knee injury and Garrick for a HIA, the Sea Eagles had two front-rowers off, two men on the bench, their goal-kicker in the sheds and backrower Ben Trbojevic playing in the centres.

Garrick passed his HIA but Waddell began limping and didn’t stop. With 46 minutes to play Manly had a one-man bench.

That became zero men when Garrick was sent off for another HIA – this time category one – and didn’t come back.

LEHI NO.1

Tom Trbojevic is due back in three weeks for Manly’s round 18 game against North Queensland Cowboys, and it’s been reported that the Sea Eagles are considering moving him to the centres to place less strain on his problematic hamstrings.

If that’s the case, Manly has an exciting replacement in speedy Lehi Hopoate who scored his first NRL try when he scooted into the northeast corner.

On a pure Sunday afternoon and on a fine and firm Four Pines Park surface, the 19-year-old son of former Sea Eagles winger John Hopoate ran for 169 metres, was safe under the high ball and laid on a very tidy try assist for Ben Trbojevic’s try on the back of a beautiful play involving Olakau’atu and Cherry Evans.

TURBO’S CHARGE

Haumole Olakau’atu is on report for a hit on Kyle Flanagan. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

“It was a great win in front of a great crowd,” Jake Trbojevic said. “It’s a very special place to play … it was a very good team performance.”

Trbojevic’s try under the posts, from a Daly Cherry-Evans’ grubber, was the game-breaking score against disappointing Dragons.

Cherry’s Send Off

When Olakau’atu went high on Kyle Flanagan, the five-eighth stayed down and was tended to by a trainer.

Olakau’atu was put on report but it was Flanagan who left the field with a HIA. As he walked past Cherry-Evans, the Manly captained offered some choice words about his choices.