​Manly veterans stand up to end Canberra’s season

A try to Brett Stewart with a minute remaining has seen Manly come away with a 26-24 victory over Canberra at GIO Stadium in front on 13,113 supporters.

Having gone down to Wests Tigers on Monday night, the Raiders were well aware of the stakes at place; win to keep their finals hopes alive or lose and rue a season of missed opportunities.

Ultimately the latter won, but not before both sides delivered one of the most enthralling matches of 2015.

Manly were quick to open the scoring after just three minutes, exploiting the Raiders left edge defence, Kieran Foran allowed Steve Matai to touch down with Jorge Taufua in support.

Following a strong run by Josh Starling, Manly captain Jamie Lyon showed his class to fend off Jarrod Croker before diving over to give the visitors a 10-0 lead after 25 minutes.

On the next set the Sea Eagles were able to extend their lead further, with Justin Horo racing into a hole before linking up with Brett Stewart in support.

With their top eight hopes appearing in tatters, the Raiders hit back with five minutes left in the half; opting to run on the last tackle, Josh Hodgson delivered a superb pass to Paul Vaughan to crash over next to the posts.

Raiders captain Jarrod Croker than came up with two vital plays; first dislodging the ball loose from Jamie Lyon close to the tryline, before adding a penalty goal on halftime to reduce the margin to 16-8.

Having fought their way back into the contest late in the first half, the Raiders were able to capitalise on a wayward Daly Cherry-Evans pass which saw Edrick Lee reduce the margin to just two points with half an hour remaining.

Opting against taking a penalty goal which would've seen the scores locked up, Canberra were rewarded for their attacking flair after Blake Austin broke through five Manly defenders to give the home side the lead for the first time.

With the momentum of the match shifting entirely in the Raiders favour, Jarrad Kennedy finished off another attacking raid to give the Green Machine supporters cause for celebration with 13 minutes remaining.

Jamie Lyon kept the Sea Eagles in touch with ten minutes to go by touching down in the corner, but with his wayward conversion Manly would require a try to pull off a remarkable win.

With a minute remaining and the Sea Eagles struggling to get out of their own half, an offload from Jesse Sene-Lefao enabled Daly Cherry-Evans to break into clean space; with Brett Stewart lurking in support, Manly were able to pull off a famous victory to keep their decade-long finals run alive.

While Manly were able to come away with the two points, they may be without Jake Trbojevic (concussion) and Jorge Taufua (on-report) in the coming weeks.

Having slumped to their ninth loss at home this season, the Raiders will be left to lament another disappointing season which promised so much, but ultimately will wrap up in three weeks time.

Next week, Canberra travel to the Gold Coast on Sunday afternoon, while the Sea Eagles return to Brookvale Oval to lock horns with arch-rivals Parramatta on Sunday.

Match Details

Canberra Raiders 24 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 26
Venue: GIO Stadium
Crowd: 13113
Halftime Score: Canberra Raiders 8 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 16

CANBERRA RAIDERS (24)
Tries: Paul Vaughan, Edrick Lee, Blake Austin, Jarrad Kennedy
Conversions: Jarrod Croker (3/4)
Penalty Goals: Jarrod Croker (1/1)

MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES (26)
Tries: Steve Matai, Jamie Lyon (2), Brett Stewart (2)
Conversions: Jamie Lyon (3/5)

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - Jamie Lyon
2 points - Shaun Fensom
1 point - Brett Stewart

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Welcome to League Unlimited's coverage of Round 23 Sunday Afternoon Football between Canberra Raiders and Manly Sea Eagles at GIO Stadium.

Canberra are 1-17; Edrick Lee returns in place of Joey Leilua, who is out through suspension.

Manly have made a positional change with Ligi Sao to start ahead of Josh Starling in the front row.

Jamie Lyon leads the Sea Eagles onto GIO Satdium.

The Raiders are greeted by applause as they look to keep their finals hopes alive.

Jake Trbojevic takes the first charge of the afternoon.

Matai finds a bit of space down the left.

1: Jack Wighton does well to field the first bomb of the match.

2: Manly make some in-roads through the Raiders middle.

3: Kieran Foran's kick is charged down; Manly get another set 30 metres out from the tryline.

3: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Steve Matai. Kick to come.
Exploiting the Raiders left, the Sea Eagles open the scoring.

4: Great work by Kieran Foran to isolate Jordan Rapana; Matai had Taufua in support but was able to cross out wide.

5: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon successful.
From the sideline, Lyon gives the visitors the perfect start.

6: Great set after points from the Sea Eagles, DCE finds touch 10 metres out from the goal-line.

7: Shaun Fensom draws a penalty after Ligi Sao made high contact.

8: Austin takes on the line, but Manly do well to contain the 5/8.

9: Josh Papalii is penalised for a double movement. Great work from Kieran Foran to cut down the Raiders second rower.

9: Jake Trbojevic is down after being hit by Mitchell Barnett.

9: A swinging arm from Barnett sees the rookie forward placed on-report.

9: Trbojevic is off, Hasson takes his place.

10: Jack Wighton is caught in-goal. Line drop out forced by Daly Cherry-Evans.

11: Blake Leary loses the ball in a Blake Austin tackle close to the line.

12: Jorge Taufua comes up with possession 20 out from the Manly line.

12: Brett Stewart looks for a 40/20, but Jack Wighton is able to collect the ball.

13: Feleti Mateo concedes a penalty, allowing the Raiders to start a set on halfway.

14: Sam Williams puts a kick in intended for the in-goal, but Manly come up with ball with little trouble.

14: Paul Vaughan on for Frank-Paul Nu'uausala.

16: Sam Williams comes up with touch-finder. Manly will pack down a scrum 15 metres out.

17: Trbojevic has passed the concussion test, he will be back.

17: Jack Wighton makes a great kick-return from a DCE bomb.

18: A forward pass from Sisa Waqa to Blake Austin is called back as the Raiders were threatening in attack.

19: Mitch Barnett dives on a loose Manly pass. On the next tackle, the Raiders get a penalty.

20: Austin is claimed by Matt Ballin a metre from the tryline.

20: Canberra fans let their thoughts known as the referee calls changeover, despite DCE coming into contact with a Raiders kick.

21: Manly get a penalty just short of halfway.

21: Jesse Sene-Lefao is on for the Sea Eagles.

22: Mateo puts a grubber kick in; Jack Wighton knocks on, Jorge Taufua makes heavy contact. It's all happening here!

22: Jorge Taufua has been placed on-report for a shoulder charge.

22: Shannon Boyd on for David Shillington.

24: Jack Wighton puts in a poor grubber kick, the Raiders just aren't showing their potential so far.

24: Josh Starling makes a strong run inside the Raiders half.

25: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Jamie Lyon. Kick to come.
He is just too good! Fending off Jarrod Croker, Jamie Lyon scores.

26: With skills like that, you'd be hard pressed to come up with a better centre than Jamie Lyon in the NRL era.

26: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon unsuccessful.
The kick is too the right. Manly 10-0.

28: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Brett Stewart. Kick to come.
Manly make a break, and as he has done throughout his career, Brett Stewart is there in support to score.

29: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon successful.
From in front, Lyon puts the Sea Eagles out by 16-0.

30: Kieran Foran makes an error from the kickoff. Great chance for the Raiders to score from 10 metres out.

31: A forward pass from Josh Hodgson to Mitch Barnett bombs the attacking set.

32: Lyon came up with a great ball and all tackle on Barnett which would've saved the try, but the forward pass sees the Sea Eagles come up with possession.

33: Jarrad Kennedy on for Mitchell Barnett.

34: Sam Williams puts a kick in, resulting in a line drop out.

35: TRY CANBERRA RAIDERS
Scored by Paul Vaughan. Kick to come.
Opting to run on the last, Josh Hodgson delivers a phenomenal pass to Vaughan to put numbers on the board for Canberra.

36: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANBERRA RAIDERS
Conversion attempt by Jarrod Croker successful.
The margin is reduced to ten as Croker adds the extras from in-front.

38: Canberra come up with a shocking last play option, failing to get a kick in the Sea Eagles will start a set from close to halfway.

39: Jarrod Croker makes a try saving tackle on Jamie Lyon, with the force of his tackle the ball fell through Lyon's grasp.

39: Just like Beau Scott yesterday, that tackle by Jarrod Croker may have a huge impact on the outcome of this match.

39: Big run from Shannon Boyd sees Justin Horo fall over.

40: Canberra get a penalty 35 metres out.

40: Croker will attempt the penalty goal.

40: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL CANBERRA RAIDERS
Penalty goal attempt by Jarrod Croker successful.
From 35 metres out, Croker narrows the margin as the Sea Eagles lead 16-8 at halftime.

40: Sam Williams puts in a well-placed kick.

41: Jake Trbojevic is being assisted off the field, it appears to be a leg issue. That would be a massive loss for the Sea Eagles if the front rower spends time on the sideline.

42: Trbojevic may also have come into contact with the hip of Shaun Fensom. After his earlier concussion you couldn't imagine he'll be back and more than likely he'll be rested next week under the concussion guidelines.

43: Sisa Waqa elects to run on the last, but the play comes to no avail.

44: Jamie Lyon puts the ball into touch 10 metres from the Canberra tryline.

45: Josh Papalii gets into a space, but the Sea Eagles are able to trap the big man.

46: Shannon Boyd gives away a penalty after failing to get off Justin Horo.

47: Jack Wighton manages to bat the ball dead with DCE racing through. Line drop out.

47: Shillington and Nu'uausala back on for Vaughan and Boyd.

48: Penalty to Manly, Josh Hodgson wasn't square at marker.

48: Ligi Sao goes close to scoring.

49: INTERCEPT

50: TRY CANBERRA RAIDERS
Scored by Edrick Lee. Kick to come.
Manly looked to bat the ball on to Jamie Lyon, but they didn't account for Edrick Lee sprinting the length of the field. Canberra aren't done with yet.

50: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANBERRA RAIDERS
Conversion attempt by Jarrod Croker successful.
It's a two-point ball game now.

52: Sam Williams puts a great kick in which sees Manly start a set 10 metres out.

52: Michael Chee Kam takes a run against his former club.

53: Manly concede a penalty; rather than levelling the scores, Canberra will look to take the front.

54: Three Sea Eagles prevent Austin from crashing over short of the line.

56: Jamie Lyon kicks the ball dead; the momentum is turning. Canberra are on the rise with their season on the line.

56: Blake Austin is over. He beat about five Sea Eagles, but the video referee wants to check the grounding.

56: TRY CANBERRA RAIDERS
Scored by Blake Austin. Kick to come.
It's a try baby. Canberra are in front, they were down 16-0 and have now taken the lead.

57: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANBERRA RAIDERS
Conversion attempt by Jarrod Croker successful.
The decision to knock back the penalty goal has paid dividends. Canberra 20-16.

58: Forward pass by the Raiders. Manly will have a great chance to hit straight back.

60: Shaun Fensom covers up a DCE grubber.

61: Penalty Raiders. This game is all Canberra at the moment, they know how important this game is.

62: Jack Wighton has lost the ball just over halfway. Manly get another opportunity.

63: Wighton makes immediate amends for his earlier error. Great take of a Manly bomb.

63: Fensom has been stripped by Foran, Canberra get a penalty.

64: Michael Chee Kam has been hit high. David Shillington with a swinging arm, this will be a penalty.

66: Feleti Mateo comes up with a knock on following a lousy pass from DCE.

67: Jarrad Kennedy is over. The video ref will check to see if everything's above board, but this may be domino for the Sea Eagles.

67: TRY CANBERRA RAIDERS
Scored by Jarrad Kennedy. Kick to come.
Canberra score again, with 13 to go there season looks to still be alive.

68: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANBERRA RAIDERS
Conversion attempt by Jarrod Croker unsuccessful.
The kick is wide, but the Raiders still lead by more than a converted try.

69: Paul Vaughan is hobbling in back field.

70: Manly get a penalty inside the Raiders half.

70: Peta Hiku has got a pass away to Jamie Lyon; we're just checking grounding.

70: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Jamie Lyon. Kick to come.
Game still on, Lyon scores his second.

70: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon unsuccessful.
Wasting no time, Lyon's kick goes wide.

71: Nine minutes left on the clock, next try scorer will likely be the match winner.

72: Wighton collects a Manly bomb.

73: On the last tackle, Williams bombs but Peta Hiku does well to give Manly possession.

73: Wighton races the ball back close to halfway.

75: Manly get a penalty 20 metres out. It all comes down to this.

75: Forward pass. Manly blow an opportunity with Ballin throwing the ball to Sene-Lefao forward.

77: Manly will start a set from their own goal-line after Sam Williams puts in a great kick.

78: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Brett Stewart. Kick to come.
Stewart scores! Manly will win.

79: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Jamie Lyon successful.
Lyon converts. Manly lead with less than a minute remaining.

80: For the second time in six days, Canberra have gone down by 2 at home.