Bulldogs bite lackluster Manly

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Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs v Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

Manly's hopes of a top four finish have been left in tatters - and their top eight chances left hanging as well - after a 30-16 defeat at the hands of the Canterbury Bulldogs.

The first half was unusual for the Bulldogs as they managed to score three tries in the first half, although through goal kicking woes could only manage to take a 12-10 lead into halftime.

They opened the game with a try inside the first five minutes when the ball was spread wide and with a long pass Marcelo Montoya was able to score the first of a double for the day, untouched in the North East corner to get first points.

The Sea Eagles hit back soon after, with the lazy Bulldogs defence being caught out by Jake Trbojevic, who picked up a bouncing pass to get the first try for Manly. A clip around the chin didn't hurt Marcelo Montoya who got his second inside the first twenty minutes, the Bulldogs yet again spinning the ball wide through Will Hopoate and it was another easy effort to the line for Marcelo's brace.

Manly then bounced back yet again when Brian Kelly ran through a gap and forced his way to the line to plant the ball down and take a 10-8 lead for the visitors late in the half.

The start of the Morris show began just before half time when Josh found his brother Brett on his inside after the Bulldogs shifted the ball out to the opposite side of the field, and through a bad tackle effort from Daly Cherry-Evans to score and after yet another missed conversion it was a 12-10 lead for the hosts.

The second half was a story of Blue and White and it was the Morris brothers who stole the headlines with big efforts after the resumption. It was Brenko Lee who scored the opening points once things got going, through the same edge as Montoya had fun with, Lee able to get on the outside of Kelly after another horrid defensive effort from the young centre.

Canterbury kept going and were outmuscling a tedious Manly side, Josh Morris claiming his second when Cherry-Evans couldn't handle a Frawley grubber, and the Bulldogs extended their lead. Brett completed the Bulldogs' rout when he got the ball off brother Josh to go down the touchline and through more weak defence to score.

Inside the final two minutes Lewis Brown managed to put some respectability in the scoreline with a solo effort, ducking across through some tired defence and scored and following the conversion the 30-16 affair was done.

Next week the Bulldogs will look to make it two in a row with a win against the in-turmoil Titans on the Gold Coast, meanwhile Manly have a road trip to Auckland to take on the Warriors.