Sea Eagles rain on Sharks parade

An exhausted Manly Sea Eagles side has defeated the Cronulla Sharks 14-12 at Shark Park this afternoon, to deny the home side a top 4 finish.

With the Cronulla Sharks needing to win to snatch fourth spot, the home side did everything right early in the game, with a high completion rate played at the right end of the field. Unfortunately for the Sharks, a determined Sea Eagles side turned up ready to play.

In what ended up to be a low scoring affair, Michael Gordon grabbed first points in the 14th minute, after a string of penalties against the Sea Eagles.

The Sharks looked to have picked up more points a couple of minutes later, when the on field referee referred a possible try upstairs. Upon replay, Paul Gallen and Michael Gordon both dived at a loose ball simultaneously, and knocked the ball on in the process, denying themselves a try.

The Sharks did manage to get their first try in the 20th minute, though, as Wade Graham powered his way over the top of a number of Sea Eagles defenders to plant the ball down. Gordon converted the try and the Sharks led 8-0.

Not to be out done, the Sea Eagles responded in the very next set with a converted try to Jesse Sene-Lefao - scoring on the first attacking opportunity at the Sharks' end of the field.

A Kieran Foran penalty goal in the 32nd minute evened the scores, before another penalty late in the half saw the Sea Eagles go to the break leading 10-8.

Several no try decisions from the video referee featured in the second half, before a brilliant offload from Paul Gallen saw Gerard Beale cross in the corner for the Sharks, taking back the lead.

A mountain of first half possession to the Sharks was taking its toll on the Manly side, with their big forwards looking completely exhausted in the second half. The away side were forced into making 100 tackles more than their opponents, and looked to be paying the price late in the game.

But a 68th minute try to Tom Trbojevic, off the back of a great Justin Horo intercept, stole the game for the Sea Eagles. A tired Manly defensive line managed to tackle out the game, holding on for the final ten minutes to defeat the Sharks 14-12.

The Cronulla Sharks' loss means they'll slip to sixth position, while for the Sea Eagles it's straight to Mad Monday.

Match Details

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 12 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 14
Venue: Remondis Stadium
Crowd: 19146
Halftime Score: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 8 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 10

CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS (12)
Tries: Wade Graham, Gerard Beale
Field Goals:
Conversions: Michael Gordon (1/2)
Penalty Goals: Michael Gordon (1/1)

MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES (14)
Tries: Jesse Sene-Lefao, Tom Trbojevic
Field Goals:
Conversions: Kieran Foran (1/2)
Penalty Goals: Kieran Foran (2/2)

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - Brett Stewart
2 points - Gerard Beale
1 point - Michael Ennis

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Ben Barba will drop off the extended Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks' bench for the match this afternoon. His omission means the Sharks' bench will consist of Matt Prior, Anthony Tupou, Tinirau Arona and Jayson Bukuya.

The Sea Eagles have made one change, with Tom Trbojevic coming into the team for Jamie Lyon. Brett Stewart will captain the side in Lyon's absence.

Welcome to Shark Park this afternoon ahead of the clash between the Sharks and the Sea Eagles. It'll be an emotional affair for the Sea Eagles, with Geoff Toovey taking the reigns for the last time as coach of the side.

Both teams take the field, the Sea Eagles to a chorus of boos, and the Sharks wearing their yellow hi-vis jerseys.

Bit of confusion there, with nobody knowing who was supposed to kick off. Eventually, the Sea Eagles line up on halfway.

KICK OFF! The Sharks will have first use of the football.

2: The Sharks and Sea Eagles both complete their first set. Paul Gallen looks to have picked up an injury after a tackle on Jake Trbojevic.

2: The Sharks kick high on the last, but the ball is knocked forward by Michael Gordon on the chase.

4: Manly attacking the Sharks' line - 5 metres out on the last.

5: The Sharks kick down field after a penalty against the Sea Eagles.

5: Graham attacking now, five metres out from the Sea Eagles line on the 4th.

6: Ennis grubbers through on the last, but Brett Stewart is on hand and taps the ball over the dead ball line.

8: Another repeat set for the Sharks, and a bit of a scuffle breaking out as well, with Michael Ennis in the thick of it.

9: Sam Tagatese has left the field with a knee or ankle injury.

9: The Sharks work the right edge now. Gerard Beale get his nose through but loses the ball, luckily backwards.

10: Another penalty to Cronulla now. They'll tap the ball and start their new set from 10m out.

11: Good defense from the Sea Eagles and the ball comes loose. More push and shove and the referee pulls Gallen aside to warn Michael Ennis.

11: Strong defence after the scrum, with the Sharks pushing the Sea Eagles attacker back 5 metres.

10: Mateo loses the ball now - and Ennis is right on the spot to let him know he dropped it.

12: We're checking a possible try to the Sharks! Robson kicks for his outside men. Manly get first touch on the ball, but loses it. Luke Lewis touches the ball, before Valentine Holmes claims the try - but the referee thinks Lewis has knocked the ball on.

12: NO TRY! The video referee agrees with the on field decision, and its a goal line drop out.

12: Cherry-Evans drops the ball out, and Chris Heighington brings the ball back.

13: Another penalty against the Sea Eagles, this time for being inside the ten.

14: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Penalty goal attempt by Michael Gordon successful.
This time the Sharks opt for the penalty kick. Michael Gordon lines up, and puts it straight over the black dot.

16: A good set from the Sharks after points, getting to their kick, but they send it over the dead ball line. The Manly defence is doing it pretty easily at this point.

18: Another possible try to the Sharks - but the on field referee thinks it's no try and sends it upstairs. The Sharks kick high on the last, and Tom Trbojevic drops the catch. Two Sharks, Gallen and Gordon, go for the loose ball at once, and each stops the other from scoring the try. NO TRY. Knock on.

18: Ennis throws a short ball and puts Matt Prior through a half gap.

19: Jayden Hodges is on the ground receiving attention in back play.

20: The Sea Eagles get the ball after an intercept, but Steve Matai loses the ball cold while in open space.

20: Hodges is leaving the field, it looks like a boot has collected his eye.

19: So after play resumes, the Sharks feed the scrum and work the left edge of the field.

20: Heavy tackle on Jack Bird from Peta Hiku. Bird skipped across field and then got belted.

20: TRY CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Scored by Wade Graham. Kick to come.
And the Sharks have scored the first try of the afternoon. Ennis throws a short pass from dummy half, and pure determination gets him the try.

23: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Conversion attempt by Michael Gordon successful.
Gordon converts from the left side of the field.

24: Knock on by Paul Gallen while he's attempting to play the ball.

25: And now a penalty against Bird helps the Sea Eagles down field. I may be wrong, but I think this is the first time Manly have been down this end of the field since the 4th minute.

25: And it may have paid dividends! We're going to the video referee, but Jesse Sene-Lefao looks to have scored the Sea Eagles' first try!

25: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Jesse Sene-Lefao. Kick to come.
TRY! The Sea Eagles hit back, and it's only taken them one attacking set, compared to the Sharks' six that they needed at the other end.

25: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Kieran Foran successful.
Foran converts the try, and the Sea Eagles now trail by just 2.

27: The Sea Eagles work their way down to the Sharks' end on the back of a penalty, but Cherry-Evans throws a wayward pass when he could have fell over and scored.

28: Helpful penalty for the Sharks, and they kick themselves out of trouble down to the half way line.

29: Robson puts Graham into a half gap again, but he's dragged down just short of the line. On the last, the Sharks kick into the in goal, but Foran manages to knock it dead.

30: Cronulla are working side to side at the moment, but aren't looking likely at all.

31: Spoke too soon. We're checking a possible try to the Sharks, after they sent the ball out to the left side. Brett Stewart looks to have come up with a miracle tackle to prevent the try.

31: NO TRY! Great tackle from Stewart, and Feki didn't get the ball anywhere near the ground. 20m restart.

31: And now there's a penalty to Manly. There's been a lot of piggy back penalties in this game already.

32: And another penalty. The ball was raked out by Matt Prior, and this time the Sea Eagles are within penalty goal distance.

32: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Penalty goal attempt by Kieran Foran successful.
Foran lines up the penalty goal attempt from just left of the posts, 20 metres out. Nails it, and we're locked up at 8 all.

34: The Sea Eagles send the ball out to the left side of the field, but Steve Matai tackles himself.

34: On the last Manly kick high. Holmes drops it but it travels backwards and he cleans up.

37: The Sea Eagles go searching for their second try, kicking into the in goal, but the Sharks just manage to tidy up. Just.

38: Michael Ennis trying to milk a penalty to help his team out of their own end, but the refs are wise to his tricks.

38: The Sharks kick from deep within their own half, and Taufua manages to bring the ball back to the Sharks 40m line on tackle one.

38: Another video referee decision to be made, this time for a possible Sea Eagles try. Hodges kicks from dummy half and Josh Starling (of all people) is on hand to dive on the ball. We're just checking the grounding, but the onfield referee thinks it's a try.

38: NO TRY! Robson managed to ground the ball first, and denied Starling the try. The Sea Eagles will get one last set before half time.

39: Luke Lewis gives away a penalty, and the Sea Eagles opt for the penalty goal.

39: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Penalty goal attempt by Kieran Foran successful.
And Foran puts it straight between the uprights. The Sea Eagles will go to half time up by two.

40: HALF TIME, and the Sea Eagles lead the Sharks by 2 points, despite having the vast minority of possession and no field position.

40: Back under way in the second half, and already action. In the first set the Sharks force the Sea Eagles out over the sideline, and will get their first attacking opportunity from deep in Manly territory.

42: Good defence from the Sea Eagles, and they've absorbed the set from the Sharks.

43: Unfortunately their attack isn't as good - forced to kick from their own 40 m line on the last.

44: 50 metre gain on that set for the Sharks, before they kick high on the last. It's a bit of a nothing kick though, dropping down for the Sea Eagles to take on the 10 metre line.

45: Steve Matai on the ground in backplay clutching his face.

46: More of the same so far in this half, with the Sharks having a mountain of ball at the right end of the field.

47: Possible try to the Sharks! The on field referee thinks it's a no try, as Ennis fights his way to the try line. We're just checking the grounding, but it doesn't look convincing.

47: NO TRY! Ennis is ruled held up, and will be forced to go back and play the ball.

47: On the next play Tupou gets over the line but is picked up and carried back into the field of play.

49: At the other end of the field Peta Hiku makes a half break but is dragged down.

49: WOW! We're going to the video referee, but that looked spectacular. The Sea Eagles kick across field, and Valentine Holmes can't take the catch. Dunamis Lui bats the ball back in field from the sideline to keep it alive, before Luke Lewis toes the ball on along the touchline, and flicks the ball back inside to his support, who sprints away to score what may be a try.

49: NO TRY! Well that's devastating for the Sharks - it would have been one of the best tries you'd ever see, but unfortunately Holmes got a hand to the initial kick, and knocked it on, so the result is null and void.

51: From the resulting scrum, the Sea Eagles move left, but the last pass goes forward.

51: Ennis attempts a 40/20, but is a metre on the wrong side of the 40.

53: The Sharks head down field through Sam Tagataese, but he's dragged down by an ankle tap. On the next tackle Michael Ennis lays down on the ground waiting for a tackle, and Sene-Lefao is more than happy to dive on him shoulder-first.

53: On the last the Sharks kick into the in goal and look to have tackled the Sea Eagles behind the try line, but Michael Gordon is ruled offside.

55: Chance for the Sea Eagles, Mateo almost in open space, but the ball finds itself in Paul Gallen's hands instead.

56: TRY CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Scored by Gerard Beale. Kick to come.
TRY to the Sharks! Gallen throws a very late offload, half a second before the completion of the tackle, and the Sharks spread the ball wide, to see Gerard Beale cross in the right corner.

57: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Conversion attempt by Michael Gordon unsuccessful.
Gordon sets himself a few metres in from the right sideline, but the kick hits the post and it bounces away.

59: On the last, Robson puts a midfield bomb up, but Manly eventually come away with the ball.

59: The Sea Eagles forwards are looking tired at the moment - lots of big men walking. The extra 120 tackles they've had to make looks to be taking its toll.

60: The Sharks spill the ball now, and Manly will feed a scrum on the Sharks' 40 metre line.

61: Mateo slips over during a tackle, and Matai slips over out wide while... running in a straight line without the ball. On the next play, the Sea Eagles knock the ball on.

62: CROWD: 19146

63: And now the Sharks have knocked on from the very next set. The Sea Eagles are bumbling around at the moment and don't look promising, but perhaps the break from defence will spark something.

63: Stewart aims a kick into the in goal, but it winds up in the Sharks' possession.

66: The Sharks start a fresh set on the Manly 30 metre line after a penalty.

68: TRY MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Scored by Tom Trbojevic. Kick to come.
Justin Horo takes a massive intercept on his own line. He looks like he's about to get rounded up, but he throws the ball out to Tom Trbojevic who sprints away from the defenders. TRY!

69: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MANLY-WARRINGAH SEA EAGLES
Conversion attempt by Kieran Foran unsuccessful.
Foran attempts the conversion, but hits the post. The Sea Eagles lead the Sharks by 4 with ten minutes left on the clock.

70: Manly seem to have lifted now. They've pulled it out in defense, evidenced by Steve Matai sending Paul Gallen flying on tackle 3.

72: Hodges kicks up into Tupou's leg. It bounces up into Jake Trbojevic's arms, but he can't handle it and knocks the ball on. The Sharks will get a scrum feed near their own line.

73: Gerard Beale kicks over the top on the last looking for Michael Gordon, but Stewart takes the ball dead.

74: The Sharks are three metres out on tackle three.

75: On the last the Sharks spread the ball right, put a grubber in and regather. The Sea Eagles make the tackle, and then strip the ball to take the pressure of themselves.

76: On the last Cherry-Evans kicks down field, and Holmes brings it back to his own 40 metre line.

77: Ennis hits Gallen with a short ball, before going to Robson on the last. Robson offloads, and the Sharks look like scoring out on the left, but waves of Sea Eagles defenders turn up and send the Sharks over the sideline.

78: Less than two minutes remaining, and the Sharks will have one final set with the ball after the Cherry-Evans kick failed to find touch.

79: Fourth tackle, and the Sharks are still 40 metres away from the try line.

79: Knock-on from Holmes on the last, and the Sea Eagles should be able to hold on from here.

79: Manly running down the clock now - less than 15 seconds left.

80: And that's the game. Manly hold on to defeat Cronulla 14-12 - a game that they won mostly without the ball in their hands. Stay tuned for the Match Report shortly.