Manly sinks knife into Canterbury in NRL wooden spoon race

Canterbury’s difficult week off the field continued on it on Friday night when they were beaten by Manly.

Sea Eagles prop Martin Tapau is set to pounce on the loose ball to score after Bulldogs halfback Lachlan Lewis fumbled a grubber kick at ANZ Stadium. Picture: Getty Images

Canterbury spent all week dealing with drama off the field. On Friday night at ANZ Stadium, it continued on the field as the Bulldogs took another step towards the wooden spoon.

Canterbury started fast but finished decidedly slow against Manly. They raced to a 10-0 lead and capitulated thereafter, finishing the on the wrong end of 32-20 scoreline.

It was difficult to watch if you were a Bulldogs fan. The sooner the season ends, the better.

The boardroom drama involving leagues club boss George Coorey had temporarily taken the focus off the performance of the team. There was nowhere to hide on Friday night.

Having fallen behind early, Manly took the edge into halftime and then took only five minutes to extend the lead after the break when Jack Gosiewski charged onto a Daly Cherry-Evans pass and stormed over.

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The Bulldogs were on the back foot but they worked their way back into the contest when a Jake Averillo kick landed in the hands of Lachlan Lewis.

No sooner were they back in the contest than they were out of it again.

Morgan Harper made his first grade debut for the Bulldogs last season but he struggled to find a permanent home in the side.

In pursuit of a chance he made the mid-season move to Manly and opportunity followed.

Last week, he scored two tries against the Wests Tigers. Last night, he put his former side to the sword as he scored a brilliant individual try to stamp out any hope for the home side.

“It was tough watching him,” Canterbury coach Steve Georgallis said. “I am happy for the kid.”

Harper was too slick for Canterbury. But salt was rubbed into the Bulldogs’ wounds when Manly big man Marty Taupau dribbled through a kick that he regained to score next to the post.

The biggest sigh of relief came from Brisbane, the Broncos assured of staying off the bottom of the ladder for another week.

Asked whether the dramas off the field had affected his side, Georgallis said: “Subconsciously it may have played a part. I think you can use that as an excuse but no excuse for the amount of tackles we missed in the second half.”

The Bulldogs got off to a quick start, opening the scoring after only eight minutes through Matt Doorey.

Nick Meaney’s conversion gave them a 6-0 lead and they were gifted the chance to add to their lead not long after when Manly’s kick-off sailed out on the full and the visitors compounded that mistake with another penalty within kicking range.

Meaney nailed the kicked again and suddenly the Bulldogs were eight points clear. Manly’s discipline was bringing them undone and they gave away another penalty, Meaney stepping up again to make it 10-0.

Having shown little in the way of attacking threat through the opening half-hour, Manly was gifted a way back into the game after Bulldogs winger Jayden Okunbor — making his first appearance of the season after having his contract reinstated by the NRL appeals tribunal — dropped a Cherry-Evans kick. Moments later, Taniela Paseka charged onto a short ball and powered over under the posts. The Sea Eagles were back in the game.

They were on level terms three minutes before halftime thanks to the brilliance of Cherry-Evans.

Manly kept the ball alive until it finished in the hands of the Sea Eagles skipper.

He accelerated through a hole and kicked ahead when confronted by Will Hopoate. The Bulldogs fullback took out Cherry-Evans but Curtis Sironen was on hand to grab the bouncing ball and score.

The visitors weren’t done yet. With only seconds remaining in the half, Brad Parker charged onto a Cade Cust pass and the Sea Eagles were in front for the first time in the game as they led 16-10 at the break.