Sea Eagles Defeat Rabbitohs 28-14 in Thrilling Match
Live: Sea Eagles vs Rabbitohs
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By Michael Doyle
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Haumole Olakau'atu joins ABC Sport
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By Michael Doyle
Haumole Olakau'atu was outstanding for Manly tonight.
The Sea Eagles enforcer was rested last week after being part of State of Origin Game I.
He returned to club land and led his side to victory tonight.
"I just tried to do what I can for the team," he tells ABC Sport.
"I was pretty gutted I couldn't play last week. Foz's best intention was to rest me, and I'm glad he did because I came out fresh today."
FULL-TIME: Manly Sea Eagles 28 def. South Sydney Rabbitohs 14
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By Michael Doyle
Manly has overcome an early deficit and a sin bin to their fullback, to defeat South Sydney in front of a jubilant crowd at Brookvale Oval.
Thousands of Sea Eagles fans turned out on a chilly Thursday night, just days after coach Kieran Foran was made the permanent head coach of the club.
The party atmosphere on Sydney's Northern Beaches was not soured, with the Sea Eagles securing an impressive 28-14 win.
The Rabbitohs threatened to spoil the party early, holding an eight-point lead after 16 minutes, while Manly fullback Clayton Faulalo was sent to the sin bin for a professional foul.
From that moment, the Sea Eagles lifted and even scored a try while down to 12 men.
The Sea Eagles took a 10-8 lead at half-time, and carried that momentum in the second half.
The Sea Eagles held a 22-8 lead, helped by a controversial try to Faulalo despite an apparent knock-on that was missed in the play the ball.
Both sides traded tries in the final 21 minutes for the 28-14 scoreline.
75' Manly defends the goal-line
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By Michael Doyle
Souths needed perfect footy for six minutes to pull off this comeback.
Centre Campbell Graham is carrying three Manly players to the right corner.
But Graham has dropped the ball, trying to reach out and score.
73' TRY: Jason Saab has a double for the Sea Eagles
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By Michael Doyle
Excellent from right winger Jason Saab.
He gets the footy on the final play. He put on a wicked step to beat the attempted tackle of Souths centre Latrell Siegwalt, and then Saab dives in the corner and grounds the footy with one hand.
Reuben Garrick nails the conversion from the right touchline to give Manly a 14-point lead with six minutes to play.
Manly are surely going to win.
Sea Eagles 26
Rabbitohs 14
66' Souths defend their line
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By Michael Doyle
South Sydney have defended two sets at their line.
The first ended when winger Alex Johnston batted a high kick dead in-goal, giving Manly no chance to contest the kick and score.
Souths were able to defend the next set, and they kept the deficit at eight points.
Needing two scores to snatch victory, Souths had to make that defensive stand.
60' TRY: David Fifita scores for the Rabbitohs
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By Michael Doyle
South Sydney has the spark it desperately needed.
After a brilliant Ashton Ward 40/20, his halves partner Cody Walker produces a lovely short pass to put David Fifita through a hole.
The returning Bunny scores untouched.
Sea Eagles 22
Rabbitohs 14
59' 40/20 for South Sydney
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By Michael Doyle
Ashton Ward has produced a terrific 40/20 kick for the Rabbitohs.
Could this be a momentum changer?
It was the final play after a pretty poor set, and Ward received the ball while flat-footed.
With not much room to work with, standing 10 metres in from the right touchline, the young halfback drills the perfect kick that bounces over the sideline and gives stand-in Manly fullback Tolutau Koula no chance of getting to the footy.
Sea Eagles 22
Rabbitohs 8
56' TRY: Ben Trbojevic scores for the Sea Eagles
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By Michael Doyle
Another penalty, this time for a high tackle at the halfway, has given Manly a further set at the Souths' goal line.
Attacking the line, five-eighth Luke Brooks runs to the left on the final play, and he gives an inside pass to Ben Trbojevic.
Trbojevic has too much power, and he gets the footy on the goal-line.
Sea Eagles 22
Rabbitohs 8
Manly fullback Clayton Faulalo off the field and up the tunnel
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By Michael Doyle
Manly's number one Clayton Faulalo has come from the field after scoring that last try.
He has been replaced by Josh Feledy.
ABC Sport sideline eye Michael Carayannis has reported that is a hamstring issue.
50' TRY: Clayton Faulalo score for Manly
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By Michael Doyle
Manly has marched down the field after saving a try at the other end.
Helped by a penalty against Souths centre Campbell Graham for a dangerous tackle, the Sea Eagles attacked the goal-line.
Fullback Clayton Faulalo got on the outside of his marker, and he crossed the line.
There was a bobble in the previous play-the-ball, but the Bunker is unable to rule on that.
Ben Trbojevic put the footy on the ground, and the footy stuck to his hand. The ball then bobbled before he raked it back with his foot.
Reuben Garrick kicks the goal from the right touchline.
Sea Eagles 16
Rabbitohs 8
48' NO TRY: Bunker denies a special effort from Souths
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By Michael Doyle
What a special finish from Souths winger Edward Kosi.
With hardly any room to move, the winger tip-toes down the touchline, then dives over Manly's Luke Brooks to ground the ball.
HOLD ON.
We are looking at the replay. It looks like the ball may have touched the deadball line.
It has. That is so unlucky.
42' Manly defends after opening set error
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By Michael Doyle
With an early gift, South Sydney marches down to the Manly goal-line.
But the Sea Eagles defend their line well, as they have done for much of this match.
Souths looked like they had an overlap on the final play, but Manly winger Lehi Hopoate charged out of the defensive line and tackled Rabbitohs fullback Jye Gray. They stopped Gray from passing to an unmarked winger.
Sea Eagles 10
Rabbitohs 8
Second half beings and Manly knock-on
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By Michael Doyle
Manly will have the first use of the footy in the second half.
Big interchange Simione Laiafi takes a strong run to get the Sea Eagles off to a great start.
The Sea Eagles get to the halfway on the fourth play, but they drop the footy.
Souths get an early attacking chance.
Sea Eagles 10
Rabbitohs 8
How is the view?
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By Michael Doyle
I dunno, maybe it's my aging eyesight but Brookvale's lighting seems a bit dim to me. Tell me I'm not on my way out, please Mick. Someone put in a new globe.
- Old timer
I'll be honest, I am not noticing the lighting at Brookvale Oval being too dim.
Suburban grounds can't have lighting as great as stadiums like Lang Park or the SFS, but I think Brookvale is doing pretty well.
However, that could mean I have a really good optometrist.
HT: Sea Eagles 10 lead Rabbitohs 8
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By Michael Doyle
That is the end of a great first half.
Manly was down by eight points and had fullback Clayton Faulalo in the sin bin.
But they regrouped and scored two tries to earn a 10-8 lead.
38' Souths lose their challenge
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By Michael Doyle
Keaon Koloamatangi took a run, but he was called for a knock-on when he hit the ground.
The Souths enforcer immediately gets up and convinces his captain to challenge ref Adam Gee's decision.
It is a very poor call from Koloamatangi. He clearly loses possession on the ground.
Souths lose their challenge.
35' Manly on top as Souths hold on approaching half-time
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By Michael Doyle
Manly's lead is just two points, but the Sea Eagles feel well on top of this contest.
Souths are on the back foot and the Manly are hunting one more try before half-time.
ABC Sport's Matthew Elliott has described Manly's dominance at the moment.
"The ruck speed, the collision, they are winning in all areas."
29' TRY: Lehi Hopoate scores for Manly
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By Michael Doyle
It is a disaster for the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Centre Campbell Graham takes a hit-up deep in his own end.
Graham drops the ball in the tackle, and the Manly Sea Eagles pick up the footy and pass it to their speedy left winger Lehi Hopoate.
Hopoate was tripped up before the line, but he was able to get off the ground and got to the line.
Sea Eagles 10
Rabbitohs 8