NRL 2024: Manly Sea Eagles win 26-20 over Melbourne Storm

Manly have put a horror month behind them, denying the Melbourne Storm yet another miraculous comeback to snap a three-game losing streak in a tense clash at Brookvale Oval.

Manly have beaten Melbourne at home to end a three-game losing streak. Picture: Getty Images

With his premiership winning father John watching from the sideline with their massive family, Lehi Hopoate showed why Manly promoted him to their NRL squad this summer with a stellar debut that included the last pass to the match winning try.

Playing at fullback in place of the injured Tolu Koula, who himself was deputising for Tom Trbojevic, Hopoate looked every bit like he could develop into another great Manly No.1.

From the first few minutes Hopoate confidently fielded bombs, chimed into the backline at the right times and defended bravely, stopping at least one certain try, before his best moment – a neat pass for the match winner to Tommy Talau in the 67th minute to help Manly escape 26-20 in a thriller at 4 Pines Park.

Lehi Hopoate starred in his NRL debut for Manly, becoming the fifth of his siblings to play first grade rugby league. Picture: Getty Images

The 19-year-old was presented his jersey by Brett Stewart and became the fifth Hopoate sibling to play in the NRL or NRLW, following in the footsteps of older brothers Will, himself a premiership winner at Manly in 2011, Jamil, Albert and sister Kalosipani.

Talau grabbed a double for the home side, while Ben and Jake Trbojevic each got across the stripe as Manly snapped a three match losing streak in front of a sellout crowd.

STORM FRONT MISSING EARLY

Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy wouldn’t have known how to feel at half time – filthy because his team were as un-Storm like as you will ever see, or happy that his side trailed by just six points at the break.

The visitors completed just 11 of 17 sets. After 20 minutes they had made five errors, given away two ruck infringements and a penalty.

Manly have beaten Melbourne at home to end a three-game losing streak. Picture: Getty Images

Ben Trbojevic scored Manly’s first try on 25 minutes with a scything angled 20 metre sprint to the line off a deft Luke Brooks pass before things went from bad to worse for the Storm.

On the ensuing kick-off Nick Meaney put it out on the full after Rueben Garrick spectacularly dragged the ball in with a toe on the sideline. Manly marched up field for Talau to go over in the corner and a 12-0 lead.

Despite their case of the dropsies, the Storm somehow stayed in the game. With two minutes remaining in the half Jarome Hughes threaded the ball through the Manly line for Eli Katoa to touch down and keep them alive.

Tensions threatened to boilover as Shawn Blore, Nathan Brown and Nelson Asofa-Solomona went head to head. Picture: Getty Images

BATTLE WAS BREWING

Daly Cherry-Evans was the only player on the field who was part of the infamous ‘Battle of Brookvale’ in 2011 and the Manly skipper must have thought it could be on again when Nathan Brown and Nelson Asofa-Solomona shaped up early in the second period.

Brown was penalised in possession after taking exception to a Storm tackle and Asofa-Solomona was there to let him know. The pair then chased each other round the field, for the next ten minutes, red mist aplenty, much to the delight of the pumping home fans.

Neither player is known for taking a backward step but in the end, both were replaced without so much as a jab thrown in anger.

Originally published as NRL 2024: Manly Sea Eagles win 26-20 over Melbourne Storm