‘What just happened?’: NRL trick play backfires spectacularly

The Manly Sea Eagles have thrown everything at the Panthers on Thursday night, including a play rarely seen since the eighties.

Manly had to try something but this was not it. Photo: Fox Sports

An attempted NRL kicking duel has backfired spectacularly on the Manly Sea Eagles in the side’s 24-12 loss to the Penrith Panthers on Thursday night.

After the Panthers drew level at 12-all just before halftime with a controversial try after Manly had dominated the first half, the Sea Eagles were throwing everything at the wall.

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In the 46th minute, Sea Eagles fullback Reuben Garrick shocked everyone when he picked up a regulation kick down field and punted it straight back.

The plan appeared to be for Jason Saab to try and outrun the Panthers back three but Dylan Edwards was back and quickly defused the situation.

But after throwing the ball out to Stephen Crichton, who threw it back into Sunia Turuva, the Penrith winger burnt the Manly defenders to score under the posts.

Although there were suggestions of an obstruction, the bunker confirmed the try, giving the Panthers the 18-12 lead.

It was a moment that left the commentators stunned.

“It’s Reuben Garrick … He thought it was the 80s,” Michael Ennis said on Fox League.

Warren Smith added: “I think that is the last we will see of the kicking duel for another three decades.”

Manly had to try something but this was not it. Photo: Fox Sports

On Channel 9, Mat Thompson said: “He’s kicked straight away — it’s a kicking duel. We’re back to 1989. This is the most bizarre passage of play in 2023.”

Billy Slater replied: “What just happened?"

On social media, the reaction was mixed at best.

Fox League commentator Andrew Voss wrote: “Rest in peace the kicking duel.”

I’m a sucker for Rugby League nostalgia, but with season on the line that “kicking duel” play from Garrick is absolutely brain dead #NRLManlyPanthers

— Wazza (@WarrenAnscombe) August 10, 2023

NRL; I've never seen a more dumb decision in my entire life than Garrick kicking then on the 1st!! @SeaEagles#NRLManlyPanthers

— NEIL EVANS (@NeilEvansmail) August 10, 2023

We could have had a kicking dual, and it would have been the greatest thing in league #NRLManlyPanthers

— ains (@aains1ie) August 10, 2023

In the post-match press conference, Manly coach Anthony Seibold confirmed it was a plan to try and ruffle the Panthers, only it spectacularly backfired.

“It was a plan,” Seibold said.

“We couldn’t just come here and arm-wrestle them. We spoke about returning serve during the week and we practised it at training, one or two guys missed their job their defensively, otherwise we’re making the tackle down there on Dylan Edwards or whoever got the footy.

“We had to think outside the box because we were missing quite a few troops and we lost another two in the first four minutes of the second half.

“I was proud of the guys, they showed a lot of courage, and we had to show courage and we were hard to beat tonight. That’s all the Manly supporters can ask that we’re hard to beat.

“It’s frustrating because I thought we did enough to win but we weren’t quite good enough.”

Captain Daly Cherry-Evans confirmed the side did practice the move at training.

“It didn’t come off but yes we did practice it,” Cherry-Evans said.

“And as Seibs mentioned before, there were maybe a couple of people who missed their job defensively on the kick. It wasn’t out of the blue for us, we knew it was coming.

“Defensively and with the ball there were certain moments we just didn’t execute tonight and a good side made us pay.”