SEA EAGLES 34, BRONCOS 6
And to think there were people calling for Daly Cherry-Evans to be axed by Queensland for Origin II.
The Manly skipper quickly buried the heartbreak that was Wednesday night’s loss to NSW with a five-star performance for his club against the bumbling Broncos.
Cherry-Evans set up three tries by half-time, including a lovely grubber that rolled in behind the defensive line and was scooped up by Lehi Hopoate who passed to Haumole Olakau’atu to score.
It was wonderful foresight from the captain. The 34-6 win was a wonderful way to finish what was a trying wee for the man known as ‘DCE’.
As Greg Alexander summed it up best on the Fox coverage: “It’s a captain’s knock – it’s an under-pressure captain’s knock.”
Cherry-Evans struggled against the Blues, which led to calls for coach Billy Slater to drop him for Tom Dearden.
Saturday night at a rocking 4 Pines Park was a timely reminder Cherry-Evans can only play as well as those around him.
Good luck trying to work out Manly’s form, with their win coming on the back of a shock loss to Parramatta, which came on the back of a shock win against the Cowboys, which came on the back of a shock loss to the Sharks.
Who knows when they will produce on a five-day turnaround against Newcastle on Thursday.
Aside from Cherry-Evans, winger Clayton Faulolo was outstanding early, including an amazing passage of play where he was running into touch, only to throw the ball into the air, then step back in-field, catch the ball and go to ground. A couple of plays later he pounced on a Cherry-Evans grubber to score.
Brisbane, on the other hand, are in as world of hurt. How can a roster with so much talent now be one win from their past seven games.
Michael Maguire once swung a baseball bat around in the away shed at Manly, and few Broncos fans would have objected if he produced it again at half-time, as well as full-time for good measure.
The Broncos spilled the ball – twice – deep in their own half, and failed to build any pressure at the end of their sets down the other end of the field.
The Sea Eagles celebrate a try.Credit: NRL Images
Payne Haas was man of the match on Wednesday night during the Blues’ 18-6 win, but missed a tackle and then dropped the ball in the opening 90 seconds. He still ended up being one of the few Broncos who had a crack, and was a joy to watch when he caught a Luke Brooks kick and charged down field.
Ezra Mam was booed with nearly every carry, and it grew louder the longer the night went on. Mam was banned for nine matches following a drug-driving charge in Brisbane late last year, where two passengers, including a young girl, were injured.
He returned in front of his home fans a fortnight ago, but the Manly reception gave Mam a snapshot of what he can expect very time the Broncos play on the road.