NRL 2021: Manly Sea Eagles win 44-24 over Wests Tigers | Match Report

Manly will be sweating on the charge sheet after Josh Aloiai was put on report for an ugly cannonball tackle on former teammate Alex Seyfarth.

Alex Seyfarth’s season could be over after a nasty knee injury from a Manly cannonball tackle. Picture: Getty Images.

A Tom Trbojevic and Daly Cherry-Evans clinic finished off the Wests Tigers in a big 44-24 win for Manly that was marred by a cannonball tackle by Josh Aloiai on his former teammate Alex Seyfarth.

Aloiai, who had an acrimonious exit from the Tigers last year, was put on report for a dangerous tackle when he came in late on Seyfarth and left the Tigers with a two-man bench in the 31st minute. Seyfarth was assisted from the field with an MCL injury, after an ankle injury to Luke Garner earlier in the half ended his afternoon.

It was Manly’s 22 unanswered points either side of the break, with Trbojevic and Cherry-Evans’ fingerprints all over it, that turned the game and left the Tigers four points outside the top eight and needing to win five of their remaining six to play finals footy.

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Alex Seyfarth’s season could be over after a nasty knee injury from a Manly cannonball tackle. Picture: Getty Images.

Wests sent the Sea Eagles a clear message in the opening half that they were ready to get down in the trenches as the teams traded tries.

When the Tigers hero from last week Adam Doueihi started and finished a movement, the Tigers led 12-10.

They were in control before the Manly big guns went bang, bang. Back-rower Josh Schuster exploded through to put Cherry-Evans away. Tommy Turbo went on a raking run, and Harper had a double. Those two tries in two minutes on the cusp of halftime and two more after the break to a rampant Trbojevic and Dylan Walker proved decisive. When Harper, one of the game’s most improved players, notched a hat-trick the deal was sealed.

Nasty injury mechanism for Alex Seyfarth, with tackler contacting outside of knee causing it to collapse in. Early indication from the Tigers is at least a significant MCL injury, would match mechanism. ACL can be at risk in these cases too, hopefully avoided here pic.twitter.com/IUcFMo0x2Q

— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) July 24, 2021

An MCL for Alex Seyfarth. 😥

Big effort now needed with just two on the bench for the remainder of this one. pic.twitter.com/GI4OlnF2Vz

— Wests Tigers (@WestsTigers) July 24, 2021

Manly coach Des Hasler said it was “a great captain’s knock” by Cherry-Evans.

“I thought Cherry was outstanding tonight and really involved. He got us going. Tommy was always dangerous and put us in good field position,” Hasler said.

“We were a bit clunky in parts. It wasn’t our best performance but when you can win ugly it is OK. We have just got to keep winning.”

On the Aloiai incident, Hasler said he was most concerned about his carry over points.

Tigers coach Michael Maguire had other thoughts on the Aloiai tackle.

“It would have been nice to be able to use that 18th man when he goes on report, but the rule is that if he doesn’t come off you can’t,” Maguire said.

“We did lose a few troops so I commend the boys for working hard in those circumstances but we had ourselves in a position to compete, which is something we need to be better at.”

GREAT DEBATE CONTINUES

Tommy Turbo continues to inflame the debate about who is the best player in the game. He is the only player in the NRL to be in the top five on both try scoring and try assist lists and easily the most influential player on his club side’s results with Manly losing just two of 10 games he has played this year. From the get-go he was heavily involved against the Tigers and ended up with 271m and two line breaks.

Manly proved too good for the inconsistent tigers, with Morgan Harper scoring a hatrick. Picture: Getty Images.

CHERRY ON TOP

The Manly skipper has come out of the Origin series on fire. His kicking game was masterful against the Tigers and he capped a brilliant match with a try to go with his three try assists. If the sixth placed Sea Eagles are to win the comp from outside the top eight then the 2011 premiership winner will need to bottle this display.

Adam Doueihi and Marty Taupau went head to head in a heated clash after the Tiger scored a try. Picture: Getty Images.

CONFRONTING

The former Tigers in the Manly side – Aloaia and Marty Taupau - were involved in heated clashes of varying magnitudes. Taupau and Doueihi gave each other a gobful and a push and shove in the first half after the Tigers playmaker celebrated his own try but it was Aloiai’s actions that will have him sweating on tomorrow’s charge sheet. His late hit was uncalled for and left Seyfarth with a bad injury.

Originally published as NRL 2021: Manly Sea Eagles win 44-24 over Wests Tigers | Match Report