Sea Eagles too good for Eels at Lottoland
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Manly's million-dollar men took just 11 minutes to cash in and bury Parramatta in a stunning 36-24 pay day at Lottoland on Sunday afternoon.
Between them Daly Cherry-Evans and the Trbojevic brothers will chew up around $3 million of the Sea Eagles salary cap should the local brothers ink long term deals beyond 2020, but the trio showed themselves to be sound investments in dismantling a disappointing Eels outfit.
From the 24th to 35th minutes Manly rattled up four tries with Cherry-Evans and Tom Trbojevic producing the big money plays.
The Sea Eagles' skipper finished with a try and two assists in the thumping win, the younger Trbojevic winding up with a try, seven tackle busts and 262 running metres, while Reuben Garrick also helped himself to a hat-trick down the right wing.
With Jake Trbojevic churning through his usual 40 tackles before getting an early breather, Eighth Immortal Andrew Johns declared in commentary that the two Manly juniors "should never be allowed to play for another club", the implication being heaven and earth should be moved to retain them.
Match Highlights: Sea Eagles v Eels
There would be no arguments among the 15,245 faithful on hand at Brookvale, even if a couple of late Parramatta tries made for a flattering scorecard.
They enjoyed Manly's fifth win in their past six games on the beaches having lost seven of their last eight home games in 2018.
Aside from an opening salvo from Reuben Garrick via a sneaky short side raid, the Brookvale crowd saw nothing but blue and gold as Parramatta's playmakers Dylan Brown and Mitch Moses looked too smart by half.
Sharp grubbers from each laid on early tries to rookie flyer Ethan Parry and Brad Takairangi.
But with Manly making hay in the middle, Cherry-Evans shone brightest soon enough.
As the Eels backpedalled Cherry-Evans hit fast-forward, taking the line on in the 24th minute and striding through from 10 metres out to level up at 12-all.
The million-dollar half paid dividends again within a minute, Cherry-Evans' spiralling bomb coming down with Trbojevic in a carbon-copy of the latter's Origin II heroics for NSW, Clint Gutherson this time robbed blind on his own line.
When Jake Trbojevic chimed in with some first receiver play, he and Dylan Walker had Brad Parker one-on-one with Parry and Manly up 22-12.
Another Tom Trbojevic break through the middle had Manly on the march again before halftime and Cherry-Evans grubbering for Addin Fonua-Blake to join the scoresheet.
The carnage continued upon the resumption, with even Manly's apparent missteps producing points.
Match: Sea Eagles v Eels
Round 18 -
home Team
Sea Eagles
5th Position
away Team
Eels
6th Position
Venue: 4 Pines Park, Sydney
In the 43rd minute Walker appeared to realise it was last tackle at the last second, Garrick running and leaping onto the rushed bomb for his second try as though it was just another facet of Des Hasler's game plan.
When Trbojevic chimed in with a cut-out ball for Garrick's third of the afternoon, the cue was already in the rack with 24 minutes still to play.
Nathan Brown latching onto an errant pass that gave him a clear passage to the tryline from short range didn't change that, though Maika Sivo's 71st minute consolation effort did have Jake Trbojevic up off the bench and ready to go again.
He and his teammates will do just that next Saturday in a blockbuster with old rivals Melbourne, Manly circling the top four once more and shaping as a decent test for the NRL frontrunners.
Parramatta's frustrations simply continue, a promising three-game winning streak snapped in emphatic fashion with the Warriors awaiting next week.
