Broncos left trapped in Lyon's den

Skipper Jamie Lyon has turned in a vintage performance to pilot his team to a 44-14 win in front of 16280 fans at Gosford's Central Coast Stadium tonight.

After another tough week of off field distractions for Manly in which coach Geoff Toovey's sacking for the 2016 season was made official, they again showed their class at focusing on the job at hand by jumping out of the blocks and putting the Broncos under pressure early.

Dominating the majority of possession and attacking opportunities in the opening exchanges, they opened the scoring through young superstar in the making Tom Trbojevic, who earned a late call up for the injured Steve Matai. The try was set up by Lyon who offloaded in heavy traffic for his winger to dive over in the 13th minute.

The Sea Eagles didn't hesitate in extending their early advantage, going back to back with a stunning try to their tough five-eight Kieran Foran. After bursting down the right hand side, Lyon chipped for his supports and a second kick from fullback Brett Stewart lead to a dropped ball and Foran was on the spot to collect the spoils. After missing his first attempt, Lyon added the extras to give his side a 10-0 lead.

Man of the match Lyon was at it again soon after, crossing for what was remarkably his first try of the season in the 27th minute, running onto a bullet like pass from halfback Daly Cherry-Evans.

Capping off their best 40 minutes of the season, interchange forward Jesse Sene-Lefao was the recipient of another piece of magic from Lyon. After Cherry-Evans chipped across field on the last, Lyon regathered before quickly putting a deft kick into the in-goal for Sene-Lefao to score in the dying stages of the first half. Lyon then converted from out wide to send his team into the sheds with a commanding 20-0 lead.

The Sea Eagles were quick to dispel any real hopes of a Broncos second half comeback with a length of the field try to Foran in the 44th minute. After fielding a kick on his own line, Tom Trbojevic drifted across field before putting his fellow winger Jorge Taufua into the clear down the left touchline. Taufua then summed the situation up nicely with a pass back on his inside for Foran to race away for his double. Lyon converted to send his team 26 points clear.

The Broncos received a glimmer of hope with a try to winger Lachlan Maranta in the 50th minute, but Manly second-rower Feleti Mateo put the game to bed with a soft try in the 54th minute giving his team a 32-4 lead.

Both teams traded tries for the remainder of the match through Justin Hodges and Jack Reed for the Broncos and Justin Horo and Tom Trbojevic for the Sea Eagles. Trbojevic's second try of the night in the 74th minute, in which he scooped up a loose ball and raced 80 metres with blistering pace, capped off a stellar return to the top grade which could force Toovey to leave out one of his more established back-line stars in the coming weeks.

The win for Manly sees them sitting just one win outside the top eight and in realistic striking distance of an unlikely finals birth after sitting at the foot of the competition ladder for much of the year. They will return to their spiritual home of Brookvale Oval to take on defending premiers South Sydney on Friday night.

The loss for the Broncos puts a small dent in their minor premiership aspirations, now sitting equal first with the Cowboys. In what shapes as a blockbuster double header on Friday night, the Broncos return home to host a desperate Canterbury Bulldogs outfit at Suncorp Stadium.

Match Details

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 44 Brisbane Broncos 14
Venue: Central Coast Stadium
Crowd: 16280
Halftime Score: Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 20 Brisbane Broncos 0

MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES (44)
Tries: Tom Trbojevic (2), Jamie Lyon, Kieran Foran (2), Jesse Sene-Lefao, Feleti Mateo, Justin Horo
Conversions: Jamie Lyon (6/8)

BRISBANE BRONCOS (14)
Tries: Lachlan Maranta, Justin Hodges, Jack Reed
Conversions: Corey Parker (0/1), Jordan Kahu (1/2)

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - Jamie Lyon
2 points - Kieran Foran
1 point - Tom Trbojevic

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Welcome to Central Coast Stadium, Gosford, where the Manly Sea Eagles will tackle the Brisbane Broncos. It's 11th v 1st, but there's plenty on the line which should make this an absorbing contest. The Broncos will be looking to further their credentials of winning the Minor Premiership with a victory, whilst the Sea Eagles will be looking to move within one win of the top 8. It was another week of off field distractions for Manly, where the news of coach Geoff Toovey being sacked for the 2016 season was made official, but no team galvanizes together more than the boys from the Northern Beaches ensuring this one should be a cracker!

LATE MAIL SEA EAGLES - Steve Matai has been ruled out and will be replaced by young gun Tom Trbojevic who had an outstanding game in the 20's last week, running for over 400 metres and scoring 4 tries. He's simply too good for them down there and will be looking to stamp himself in the 1st grade team with a strong showing tonight.

LATE MAIL BRONCOS - No late changes for the ladder leading Broncos, lining up 1-17

Players are entering onto the pitch with Manly wearing their Daredevil jerseys for Marvel Superheroes round

2: Were underway at Gosford and Manly completed a good 1st set running for 60m, Maranta returns the kick back over his 20

3: Hunt puts up a high one to test Taufua out earlier, but Jorge answers the question. And a penalty to Manly, Brisbane inside the 10

3: 1st chance to attack, Manly entering Brisbane's red zone...

4: VIDEO REF possible Manly try...

4: NO TRY, DCE has been held up over the line by Jarrod Wallace, 4th tackle

4: Penalty Broncos after absorbing the early pressure

7: Hunt sends it high again with Taufua harnessing his super powers with an outstanding take & Jordan Kahu has come out of the contest pretty groggy

7: Corey Oates gets the call up early coming on for Kahu

7: DCE drives a kick downfield finding the touch line 10m out from Brisbane's line

9: UNFORCED ERROR BRISBANE BRONCOS
Anthony Milford makes an unforced error.
Milford spills it twisting in the tackle

10: 6 more Manly after Boyd spills the kick from DCE

11: DCE pokes a grubber in goal but Matt Gillett does well to get the ball back in play. And Brisbane earn a relieving penalty after Manly were inside the 10

12: Glenn puts down a short ball from Milford under pressure from a fast moving Manly defence

14: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Tom Trbojevic. Kick to come.
And the wonder kid is over for first points after a DCE grubber rebounded up for Lyon who looked like crossing himself before offloading for Trbojevic to score

15: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon unsuccessful.
From the sideline, Lyon's kick only just swings away to the right

17: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Kieran Foran. Kick to come.
Back to back...Manly have burst through down the right through Lyon who chipped back infield. Stewart was on the spot to toe it through further and Oates spilt in trying to regather, with Foran picking up the scraps

18: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon successful.
The skipper adds the extras

20: Kahu is back on for Brisbane & does well under a high ball from Foran

21: Milford goes high with Trbojevic fielding it on his 20

24: Repeat set for Manly

26: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Jamie Lyon. Kick to come.
Lyon finishes off a backline movement with Foran & DCE featuring in the build up

27: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon unsuccessful.
Lyon swings across the posts again missing to the right

29: Big yards again from Manly & Foran finishes off the set with a good kick to the corner making Bris work it out from their line

29: T.Trbojevic is again solid under the high ball

30: Lyon this time finishes the set off nicely with one of his stabbing kicks finding the line 10 out from Brisbane's line

32: Hunt with a big cutout pass sends Maranta away down the left but Manlys defence scramble well & Milford loses it on the last trying to kick ahead

33: DCE drills his kick low, Boyd brings it out of his in-goal

34: Handover after Milford is caught with it on the last

35: DCE tries to grubber through again but a desperate play from Parker sees his trap the kick before diving on the loose ball. And they get a penalty Brisbane

36: Lyons cleans up a Hunt chip kick mid air

37: Foran with a big kick nearly gets the 40/20 but Boyd got a touch before the ball rolled out. Scrum Manly inside the Broncos red zone...

39: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Jesse Sene-Lefao. Kick to come.
Beware of the second kick...DCE chips across field, the ball was batted back for Lyon who quickly put a deft little kick in-goal where Sene-Lefao dives on it

40: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon successful.
Lyon pilots this one through

40: HALF-TIME at Gosford. Yep, no-one does siege mentality quite like the Sea Eagles. They've turned in their best 40 minutes of the season to lead the table topping Broncos by 20 heading into the sheds. The Broncos on the other hand have probably turned in their worst 40 since the opening rounds. Non existent line speed and some poor last tackle options are hurting their chances in this one. Chances are a vintage Wayne Bennett spray will be taking place right now so stay tuned for the second half. A comeback won't be out of the question...

41: Back in action with Brisbane bringing the steeden back

42: Chee Kam is on to start the 2nd half & pulls off a ripping tackle on Hodges

43: DCE chips through but Hunt reads it well & brings it out to his 20

45: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Kieran Foran. Kick to come.
Tom Trbojevic fields a kick on his own 10m, drifts across field and unloads to send Taufua away who passed back on the inside for Foran to race away for his double

45: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon successful.
From the left touchline, Lyon nails it

47: Kahu does well to take a towering bomb from DCE under pressure

48: Hunt kicks low for Hiku to bring it back to his 20

48: UNFORCED ERROR MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Matt Ballin makes an unforced error.
Forward pass out of dummy half will see Brisbane get a scrum 40 out from Manly's line

50: TRY BRISBANE BRONCOS
Scored by Lachlan Maranta. Kick to come.
Hodges chimes into the backline on the left to throw a cut-out pass for his winger to score

51: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION BRISBANE BRONCOS
Conversion attempt by Corey Parker unsuccessful.
Parker hooks it to the left

52: Taufua rocks Hodges with a big hit but Hodges got an offload away

53: Penalty Manly against Boyd for holding down too long

55: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Feleti Mateo. Kick to come.
Feleti looked to have pulled up just short of the line but manages to push the ball onto the stripe

56: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon successful.
Lyon adds the extras

57: UNFORCED ERROR MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Tom Trbojevic makes an unforced error.
Tom attempts the intercept but can't reign it in

59: TRY BRISBANE BRONCOS
Scored by Justin Hodges. Kick to come.
Hunt chips in behind the line and the veteran Hodges is on the spot for his 99th career try

60: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION BRISBANE BRONCOS
Conversion attempt by Jordan Kahu unsuccessful.
Kahu from the sideline hits the left upright

61: Repeat set Brisbane after Kahu was sent into the clear down the right before grubbering in-goal

62: VIDEO REF possibly Broncos try...

62: NO TRY...Hunt grubbers in-goal but Milford fails in his attempt to ground the ball

62: Penalty Manly against Thaiday for a canon ball tackle

64: Repeat set after Ballin grubbers from dummy half & Boyd forces the ball in-goal

65: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Justin Horo. Kick to come.
DCE grubbers through for Horo to win the race to the ball

66: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon successful.
Lyon sneaks it inside the left post

68: Repeat set Manly, Jake Trbojevic grubbers through!

69: TRY BRISBANE BRONCOS
Scored by Jack Reed. Kick to come.
Milford fields a Manly kick to race away before passing to Jack Reed to dive over in the corner

70: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION BRISBANE BRONCOS
Conversion attempt by Jordan Kahu successful.
Kahu kicks it from touch

72: Tom Trbojevic flies high to defuse a bomb on his own line

73: DCE kicks long on the 4th sending Boyd back to retrieve it just short of his line

74: Broncos scrum 35m out from their line after Horo knocked down a Milford pass

75: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Tom Trbojevic. Kick to come.
Tom goes 80 after scooping up a wayward tap on pass from Milford

76: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon successful.
Lyon makes no mistake from close range

78: Taufua scoots away down the left before passing inside for DCE to race away, but the ball was called forward

79: Double knock-on, Manly feed on their 20

79: DCE drives one into touch

80: FULL-TIME and Jamie Lyon amongst many has turned in a vintage performance to help pilot his team to a stunning victory over the Broncos. Thanks for joining us folks and stay tuned for our match report to come