NRL 2021: Manly Sea Eagles win 66-0 over Canterbury Bulldogs | Match Report

Manly have produced arguably the most one-sided game of the 2021 season, breaking records against a woeful Bulldogs outfit.

The Sea Eagles have become just the fourth team in rugby league to score 50+ points in three straight weeks. Picture: Getty Images.

It’s the Turbo-fuelled charge that has now propelled Manly to their biggest win in club history.

Tom Trbojevic continued to show why he’s now considered the best player in the world after spearheading the surging Sea Eagles to a humiliating 66-0 massacre of Canterbury.

Already in arguably the best individual patch of form ever seen, Trbojevic outdid himself on Saturday afternoon with an effortless 16-minute hat trick at an empty Bankwest Stadium.

He also could’ve had a fourth, generously passing to younger brother Ben in the in-goal, only for the try to be cruelly overturned by the referee for an obstruction at the kick-off.

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Despite missing the start of the season, Tom Trbojevic could be in contention for a Dally M medal. Picture: Getty Images.

Tom still has a remarkable 14 tries in nine NRL games so far this season, and 18 in just 11 appearances if you include his heroics so far for NSW in the two State of Origin games.

At one stage, the Bulldogs resorted to taking Tom out illegally, with centre Will Hopoate sin binned for tackling the Manly No.1 while in support in the second half.

“I don’t think we’ve seen a player in the history of our game put together performances like this back-to-back,” champion halfback Cooper Cronk commented of Trbojevic on Fox Sports.

“He is out of this world at the moment.”

And that was when the Bulldogs were “only” up 36-0 at halftime.

The Sea Eagles have become just the fourth team in rugby league to score 50+ points in three straight weeks. Picture: Getty Images.

Tom, who has catapulted into Dally M calculations despite missing the opening five games of the season, finished the match with three tries, two try assists and three line break assists.

Sea Eagles coach Des Hasler admitted Tom couldn’t even be pulled from the field for an early rest.

“He’s just a competitor, and that’s the way he plays. It’s great for rugby league fans across the broader spectrum,” said Hasler, who also hailed the performance of skipper Daly Cherry-Evans.

“It’s a real credit to them, the way they can come back and still provide form after their Origin commitments.”

By the end of the game, teammate Reuben Garrick shot to the top of the pointscoring list with an individual 30 points (two tries, 11 goals from 11 attempts), while Jason Saab nabbed a hat trick.

Saab upped Tom by completing his tries in just 12 minutes, while prop Toafofoa Sipley also came off the bench to claim his first two career tries.

It was another relentless assault from the merciless Sea Eagles, who have now reeled off nine of their past 11 to leap to fifth spot – their highest position in almost two years.

The rout surpassed their previous record 63-point winning margin over Penrith in 1973.

For Canterbury, if they hadn’t already hit rock bottom, then this was it.

The limp hiding is their third-worst in club history, and their heaviest since an 87-7 walloping at the hands of Eastern Suburbs in 1935.

It also killed their points differential enough to sink them below Brisbane to last spot, leaving coach Trent Barrett with the miserly task of turning around the worst effort of any team this season.

The Bulldogs are have struggled in 2021, but this was a new low for them. Picture: Getty Images.

FLANNO SPEAKS

It was meant to be Kyle Flanagan’s big chance to redeem himself, but the embattled playmaker was barely given an opportunity to show why he belongs back in the top grade.

Playing in his first game since his emotional demotion two months ago, Flanagan had 19 metres from three runs and was barely sighted as the Bulldogs defence rendered their attack non-existent.

Kyle’s dad and premiership-winning coach, Shane, commentated that while it had been a challenging month for his son, he was hopeful a change in their structure would yield results.

“He’s not going to be that first receiver a lot of the time. He’s just going to hold his edge, and they’re gonna let young (Jake) Averillo control the football, which is fine,” Shane said.

“It’s just a different type of structure which Kyle’s not used to, but I’m sure he’ll adapt to it.”

BAD DOGS

Bulldogs fans were desperate to find some semblance of hope in debutants in Falakiko Manu, Bailey Biondi-Odo and Christopher Patolo.

However the trio will not only remember the game for the assault they received, but Manu and Patolo were also on report for high contact.

Firebrand prop Jack Hetherington is also looking at more time on the sidelines after being cited for a high tackle, while Jeremy Marshall-King also got pinged for a crusher tackle.

Barrett took aim Dylan Napa, Brandon Wakeham, Corey Waddell, Sione Katoa and Aaron Schoupp, who were unavailable due to COVID-19 breaches and fined almost $10,000 in total.

He refused to guarantee their return next week once they complete their self-isolation.

“I hope they feel disappointed with themselves after having to watch their teammates do that,” Barrett said. “I haven’t even been able to see them face-to-face yet. I’m looking forward to seeing them on Monday.”

Originally published as NRL 2021: Manly Sea Eagles win 66-0 over Canterbury Bulldogs | Match Report