Round 7
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 30 d. Bulldogs 22

2008 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

Manly too strong and powerful for Bulldogs
Mon April 28, 2008
Source: www.manlyseaeagles.com.au

Off the back of last week's grinding and courageous win over Parramatta, Manly was favourite not only in the bookies' minds but also in the minds of the fans. There were injuries in the northern beaches camp, namely those to veteran Steve Menzies and forward Mark Bryant who was on the sidelines with a calf problem but that said, the Sea Eagles would still undoubtedly be considered the team to beat. After all, this game was being played at Fortress Brookvale.

The first chance went to former Dragon Lee Te Maari inside four minutes after a Manly mistake but he couldn't hold onto the ball. If he had, it would have been a certain try. Another mistake one minute later after a sloppy play the ball by Josh Perry gave the 'Dogs another set but Ben Roberts' kick was terrible.

Referee Tony Archer blew the first penalty to Canterbury on nine minutes and right on halfway. They used the set well, spreading the ball right with Heka Nanai's try receiving the green light from the video assistant Steve Clark. The Manly defence was caught napping and Steve Matai was one player who should have done better.

In the set after the restart, Andrew Ryan, in his 200th game, made what looked to be an error but the video ref again had his say and the decision was changed to a penalty. Nothing was going the Sea Eagles' way in the opening thirteen minutes.

It didn't look like it was going to get any better either.

Sonny Bill Williams scored a try set up brilliantly by Roberts. Brent Crisp, debuting at fullback in place of the injured Luke Patten, booted the goal to rub salt in the wounds.

Even when the Bulldogs knocked on from the kickoff and then again two minutes later the Sea Eagles still couldn't make it count. Matt Orford, along with the 15,229-strong Brookie crowd thought he'd scored but somehow Steve Clark ruled NO TRY. The jeers carried on well into the restart of play and the anger on the Captain's face was there for all to see.

In the 21st minute the try that we'd been threatening to score was scored. The man was Glenn Stewart and again, it was after a mistake by the away team whose completion rate was dismal even though they lead on the Family Hill scoreboard.

The pendulum was beginning to sway our way and it swung even further when the Sea Eagles received their first penalty and just a couple of plays later, scored through Steven Bell. With twelve of the first half to go, it was Sea Eagles 10, Bulldogs 10.

One of the greatest kick-chases you will see this year saw Manly kick 60-metres downfield and put the returning ball-carrier back in his in-goal. From the dropout, Des Hasler's side won a penalty and in the ensuing set almost scored. Michael Bani was gifted an intelligent ball from Jamie Lyon but as Willie Tonga hit him, the ball was lost with the line waiting.

With five minutes remaining, Vic Mauro, who had entered the fray, made a fundamental error from the play the ball which gave Canterbury a scrum feed in prime attacking position. Bell, who had been strong in offence, was also proving to be handy at the back, cleaning up the following raid and several before it.

The game was proving to be extremely free-flowing and the even scoreline was a fair reflection of what the two sides had on offer. Somewhat souring the dressing room at halftime was the news that fullback Brett Stewart was unlikely to return after a head clash with 'Bobcat' in the first period. Already mentioned was the injury to Patten which kept him out of this match so it looked like these two teams were on a level playing field in more ways than one.

While 'Snake' spent the final minutes of the first half down and out, the six stitches he received for his head wound during the break worked wonders as he valiantly soldiered on for the final forty minutes.

Along with the stitches, the trainers must have given him the LZR swimsuit that's breaking so many records because he belted it on the way to scoring the next Manly try! Orford's reverse kick confused the 'Dogs and Stewart came from nowhere. He then caught and scored in one simple and majestic motion, before celebrating in front of his adoring crowd like a rock star with his audience in the palm of his hand. The Bulldogs should have done a lot better; it's as simple as that.

Every time he touches the ball it's like deja vu. Let's hope we have that all too familiar feeling for many years to come. For now though, his try-scoring feats are astonishing enough - 45 tries in 46 games at Brookvale Oval including 9 doubles and 3 hat-tricks.

The maroon and white train kept rolling on in the coming minutes as Bell made a forty-metre break from the scrum before Glenn Hall, the most unusual of suspects, extended the lead to ten points in the 56th minute. The conversion made it 22 unanswered points.

If Manly were to put this game beyond reach however, it was down to Orford to take complete control and dictate every set. When Adam Cuthbertson muscled his way over on sixty minutes, 'Ox' showed he was ready and willing to do just that. Rep season is just around the corner and with Orford's form improving by the round, maybe a sky blue jersey isn't out of the question. And with 'Cuthbo' playing like a young man possessed, would he look out of place in a City Origin outfit?

The scoreboard was at the mercy of the Sea Eagles but injuries are not something you have power over. So when Steve Matai looked to have pulled a calf muscle and Jason King stepped awkwardly into a tackle, the huge lead was tempered. Luckily Matai's complaint was not as problematic as first though but King's prevented him from taking any further part in the game as it was revealed he had suffered a sprained ankle.

Adding consolation to the scoreline was Tim Winitana's 71st minute four-pointer which was brought about by Sonny Bill's smart flick pass to his winger Nanai who then angled a grubber in between two defenders. Winitana did very well to get to the ball and ground it from a difficult position. Manly's intensity had dropped and after being on cruise control for the entire second half, it was time to take back control for the final ten.

But the final stages of the game proved to be Manly's Achilles' heel as debutant Crisp, who did a great job in his first outing, scored a memorable try and a beautiful sideline conversion to make the final score at least respectable for the 'Dogs.

Report source: www.manlyseaeagles.com.au


Round 7 Bulldogs NRL, NSW and NYC Teams
Wed April 23, 2008
Source: www.bulldogs.com.au

Mitsubishi Electric Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes has named an unchanged line-up for this Saturday night's clash with Manly at Brookvale Oval.

The same 17 players who defeated the Dragons 30-18 last Saturday at ANZ Stadium will take the field.

1. Luke Patten
2. Heka Nanai
3. Tim Winitana
4. Willie Tonga
5. Matt Utai
6. Ben Roberts
7. Daniel Holdsworth
8. Jarrad Hickey
9. Corey Hughes
10. Chris Armit
11. Sonny Bill Williams
12. Andrew Ryan (c)
13. Lee Te Maari

Interchange:
14. Danny Williams
15. Brad Morrin
16. Justin Tsoulos
19. Gary Warburton

The Bulldogs NSW Cup team to face the Newtown Jets has been named.

Matt Lamb will play five-eight while Daniel Ezekiel will play his first match of the season off the interchange bench.

1. Brent Crisp
2. Leon Bott
3. Cameron Phelps
4. Ryan Millard
5. Chris Vaefaga
6. Matt Lamb
7. Aaron Groom
8. Charlie Leaeno
9. Jamie Clark
10. Luke Thompson
11. Nathan Armit
12. Lorenzo Ma'afu
13. Frank Winterstein

Interchange:
15. Daniel Ezekiel
16. Dean Vicelich
19. Tamati Nathan
20. Fred Briggs

Bulldogs SG Ball U/18 squad member Alvin Matavao has been promoted to the U/20 Toyota Cup team for this Saturday's clash with Manly.

Matavao replaces Jamal Idris who has dropped back to SG Ball. He will become the 27th Bulldogs player to appear in the newly formed Toyota Cup.

Daniel Folkes will play his second match of the season at hooker after Nathan Smith was suspended following an incident in last Saturday's loss to the Dragons.

1. Jimmy Fawcett
2. Kele Niusere
3. Sene Tala
4. Alvin Matavao
5. Tristan Nisbet
6. Rhys Jack
7. Ben Barba
8. John Kite
9. Daniel Folkes
10. Liam Roach
11. Harlan Alaalatoa
12. Daniel Harrison
13. Jake Foster

Interchange:
15. Arana Taumata
16. Josh Bishop
17. Martin Taupau
19. Jeco Makatoa
20. Ben James

News sent by: www.bulldogs.com.au

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