Committed Canberra manhandle Manly

The Canberra Raiders have come up with an exciting, albeit unlikely 24-22 victory over a lacklustre Manly side in front of 10027 fans at Brookvale Oval.

The Raiders opened the scoring in just the 7th minute when winger Joel Monaghan swooped on a loose Manly pass. Eagles' fullback Ben Farrar had created an overlap on the Raiders' left hand defence, but Monaghan was up to the task and raced 80 metres to score under the posts. Manly hit back not long after through winger Tony Williams after taking advantage of three-successive sets of six on the Raiders line. The Eagles may have been slightly fortunate with replays showing the ball only just got a tiny bit of the tryline. The Raiders hit the front through Daniel Vidot just when it appeared Manly were going to extend their lead. Manly second-rower Anthony Watmough raced through some feeble defence and tried to find some support, but Canberra centre Adam Mogg intercepted the pass and was run-down by Robertson, but passed back onto the inside for winger Daniel Vidot. Manly regained the lead in the 30th minute after centre Steve Matai took advantage of a Jamie Lyon bat-back and Foran's kick found the unmarked Eagles centre who scored in the corner. The final points of a see-sawing first half came through Raiders second rower Joe Picker. Canberra five-eighth Terry Campese drifted across field and delivered a perfect flat pass to Picker who hit the gap at pace and strolled over next to the posts. The subsequent conversion saw the Raiders go to into the halftime break with a two-point lead.

The points dried up in the second half with both sides only coming up with one try apiece. The Raiders extended their lead in the 45th minute through five-eighth Terry Campese after some feeble Manly defence couldn't prevent him from scoring alongside the posts. The eight-point deficit would stay that way for the next 30 minutes as Manly attempted to throw the ball around and close the gap, but their lack of direction in attack at times proved costly. The game was set up for a grandstand finish in the 78th minute when Sea Eagles' fullback Ben Farrar scored a try from five-eighth Kieran Foran's grubber kick. The Eagles then marched the ball upfield from the restart and some razzle dazzle saw them get to within 25 metres of the Raiders tryline before an unlikely hero in Raiders' second rower Trevor Thurling put the result beyond doubt as the Raiders held on for an unlikely victory.

Next week, the Sea Eagles tackle the Sharks at Toyota Park, while the Raiders will look to improve on their disappointing home record when they host the Knights on Sunday afternoon.

Match Details
Manly Sea Eagles 22 were defeated by Canberra Raiders 24
National Rugby League - NRL - Round 18 - Saturday July 10, 2010 5:30pm
Venue: Brookvale Oval
Referee: Ben Cummins and Brett Suttor
Video Referee: Paul Simpkins
Touch Judges: Ricky McFarlane and Jeff Younis
Crowd: 10027
Halftime: Manly Sea Eagles 16 Canberra Raiders 18

Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 Points - Terry Campese (1 Try)
2 Points - Josh Dugan
1 Point - Anthony Watmough

MANLY SEA EAGLES (22)
Tries: Steve Matai, Michael Robertson, Tony Williams, Ben Farrar
Conversions: Shane Rodney (3/4)

CANBERRA RAIDERS (24)
Tries: Joel Monaghan, Terry Campese, Joe Picker, Daniel Vidot
Conversions: Jarrod Croker (4/4)

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary And a very good evening and welcome to Brookvale Oval for this Round 18 encounter between the Manly Sea Eagles and the Canberra Raiders. In team news, Manly are as per program and will run out as per program. The Raiders have had a few changes to the team named by coach David Furner on Tuesday. Tom Learoyd-Lahrs joins Shaun Fensom in going back to the bench. Taking their places in the run-on side are Joe Picker and Josh Miller. Centre Joel Thompson has also been ruled out and he will be replaced by Adam Mogg. Kick off will be a little after 5.30pm. Join me then.
In the Toyota Cup, the Raiders have drawn first blood with a 20-12 victory over the Manly side.
Later tonight, we'll bring you coverage of the Bulldogs v Storm clash, with rugby league making a welcome return to Adelaide Oval.
1 min: And we're underway here at a slightly chilly Brookvale Oval. The Raiders will defend the southern end in the first half and get first use of the ball.
1 min: The Raiders successfully complete their first set of six and a great kick from Campese sees the Eagles working the ball towards halfway.
2 min: Foran returns serve for Manly and finds touch 20 metres out from the Canberra line.
4 min: Knock on Raiders. Shillington loses the handle on the ball while attempting to play it. Watmough may have inadvertently played a role, but the Eagles will go on the attack.
4 min: Hodkinson's pass to Matai is ruled to have been forward, but the pass was knocked on in any case.
6 min: PENALTY MANLY. The Raiders defence taking too long to get off the tackled player.
7 min: TRY
TRY Canberra Raiders
Scored by Joel Monaghan. Conversion attempt by Jarrod Croker successful.
The Raiders open the scoring for tonight's encounter with an intercept taken by Monaghan. The Eagles were on the attack and Farrar's pass was picked off by the Raiders' winger who sprinted 80 metres to score under the posts.
Canberra Raiders 6-0
11 min: Some razzle dazzle by the Eagles has seen the Raiders force the ball for a dropout and the Eagles will look to draw level.
12 min: A repeat set of six from the Eagles has seen Stewart trickle a grubber into the in-goal and the Raiders will do well to repel the Eagles here.
14 min: TRY
Sheer weight of possession has told and Williams has reached out and banged the ball down just on the line to open Manly's account for tonight.
6 all
18 min: Foran's kick on the last tackle has found touch and the Raiders will again have to work the ball away from their own line.
22 min: PENALTY Manly. The Raiders have been penalised for being too quick off their line and are inside the 10.
22 min: Stewart's pass to Williams would have seen the winger down the western touchline, but unfortunately for the Manly side, Williams was unable to hang onto the pass.
24 min: Canberra, despite having great field position to force a repeat set, have meekly handed the ball over to the Manly side by running the ball on the last.
25 min: TRY
TRY Canberra Raiders
Scored by Daniel Vidot. Conversion attempt by Jarrod Croker successful.
Canberra score their second try against the run of play to regain the lead! Watmough raced through the Canberra defence and tried to position his support players, but Mogg intercepted the pass and raced away towards the north-eastern corner before finding Vidot looming up in support.
Canberra Raiders 12-6
27 min: Campese has knocked the ball on in just the second tackle, but Manly have subsequently surrendered the ball back to the Raiders.
30 min: VIDEO REFEREE: Possible Manly try. Checking a possible knock-on.
30 min: TRY
TRY Manly Sea Eagles
Scored by Steve Matai. Conversion attempt by Shane Rodney successful.
Matai scores Manly's second try! Hodkinson launched a bomb which was knocked back by Lyon, who found Foran who subsequently kicked to an unmarked Matai who received a room service bounce to score in the corner.
12 all
32 min: PENALTY Manly. McCrone came up with a great tackle around the legs, but held on for too long and was penalised.
34 min: Manly force yet another goal-line dropout from the Raiders. Hodkinson's bomb was batted back to Matai who grubbered into the in-goal and tackled Dugan with the help of Robertson.
34 min: TRY
TRY Manly Sea Eagles
Scored by Michael Robertson. Conversion attempt by Shane Rodney unsuccessful.
Manly put themselves in front for the first time tonight with a beautifully constructed try to Robertson! A perfectly rehearsed set play from the Eagles incorporates second-man plays and decoys, before Matai drew Dugan to send Robertson over in the south eastern corner of Brookvale Oval.
Manly Sea Eagles 16-12
38 min: TRY
TRY Canberra Raiders
Scored by Joe Picker. Conversion attempt by Jarrod Croker successful.
And the lead continues to see-saw here tonight! Campese has delivered a perfect flat pass to Picker who hit the hole and scored alongside the posts. It appears the Raiders will go into halftime with the lead.
Canberra Raiders 18-16
40 min: Halftime here at Brookvale Oval in an entertaining, at times torrid, encounter where the Raiders lead the Eagles 18-16. Manly will look to regain the lead early in the second half, while the Raiders will look to end three-weeks of not scoring a point in the second half.
41 min: The second half is underway at Brookvale Oval. Manly will have first use of the ball.
44 min: The Raiders finally get their first goal-line dropout from the Eagles. They have successfully completed both their sets in the second half and will look to extend their lead here.
45 min: TRY
TRY Canberra Raiders
Scored by Terry Campese. Conversion attempt by Jarrod Croker successful.
Campese extends the Raiders lead! Some soft goal-line defence from the Eagles has seen Campese crash over from close range and in the process show some worrying signs for the Manly side.
Canberra Raiders 24-16
50 min: Manly have gotten lucky here with Mogg not being able to hang onto a pass from Foran. The Eagles will get a repeat set here. In injury news, Shaun Fensom has left the field and will not return for the Raiders.
53 min: PENALTY Manly. Picker penalised for a flop on Williams after McCrone chip-kicked for himself which would have seen the Eagles working the ball off their own line. Foran has found touch 40 metres out from his own line.
55 min: Campese trickles a grubber kick into the in-goal. Farrar has done well to get away from the clutches of Dugan, but the Raiders had plenty of support there to force another dropout.
56 min: Canberra knock-on. Matai has jammed in and forced the error from Thurling.
58 min: Campese has come up with a booming kick from inside his own 30 which is ruled to have touched the sideline, although replays indicate the ball was in the air, but did not touch the line.
60 min: Campese has forced yet another goal-line dropout with a well-placed grubber kick.
61 min: Knock-on Raiders. Thurling has knocked the pass on from Shillington and let the Eagles off the hook for now.
62 min: PENALTY Manly. Shillington penalised for a lazy high tackle.
63 min: A great scrambling set of six by the Raiders has thwarted the Eagles on several occasions when they seemed certain to score.
64 min: PENALTY Canberra. Manly penalised for being offside.
66 min: PENALTY Canberra. Manly too slow getting off the tackled player.
68 min: PENALTY Canberra. Manly penalised for having hands in the ruck.
69 min: PENALTY Canberra. Watmough penalised for taking Dugan out without the ball.
72 min: Lyon's kick on the last has sailed out on the full and the Raiders will have a full set of six 30 metres out from the Manly line as they try to put the game beyond doubt.
73 min: Goal-line dropout Manly. The Raiders have forced yet another goal-line dropout.
77 min: PENALTY Manly. Canberra offside.
78 min: VIDEO REFEREE: Possible Manly try. Checking onside and grounding.
78 min: TRY
TRY Manly Sea Eagles
Scored by Ben Farrar. Conversion attempt by Shane Rodney successful.
Farrar sets us up for a thrilling finale here at Brookvale! Foran's kick found Farrar racing through to score alongside the posts.
Canberra Raiders 24-22
80 min: Some razzle dazzle from the Manly side has come up empty and Canberra will look to hold on for an unlikely victory!
80 min: Fulltime here at Brookvale Oval where the Canberra Raiders have defeated the Manly Sea Eagles 24-22.