Eagles Fight Off Storm

Melbourne Storm rolled into a capacity Brookvale Oval to register thirteen straight wins against second placed, and rivals, Manly Sea Eagles. Missing in action, due to injury, was their star play maker and halfback Cooper Cronk which, at head-to-head, made Manly the favourites to win the game.

It wasn’t the best of nights for the guaranteed minor premiers, as they faced an aggressive Manly side. It only took five minutes for Foran to cross over the white chalk in a spectacular try that has its nomination in the bag for one of the best tries of the season; Jamie Lyon converting the try to make it six to nil.

However, the poor ball control, from both sides, in slippery conditions would soon be overshadowed with all attention on first half brawl; with what started with an elbow in a tackle involving Darcy Lussik and Ryan Hinchcliffe. Glen Stewart and Adam Blair had to steal the show; both players were sent off for ten minutes only to start again on the sideline, leaving both players sidelined for the remainder of the game. With being awarded a penalty for the elbow on Lussik, Jamie Lyon gave his side an extra two points with a penalty kick.

It seemed as though Manly couldn’t break through Melbourne’s brick wall defence, until astonishing play allowed Tony Williams to bag on for the night, and with the conversion, leading Melbourne fourteen to nil.

In the second half of the game Manly would have to be without three of their players, Joe Galuvao, David Williams and Brett Stewart, for the rest of the night. Dave Williams was sent off to hospital after sustaining a neck injury while Brett injured his knee.

The second half was dominated by a series of penalties, six going against the minor premiers due to slow play the ball and holding down of players.

Like the first half, the slippery conditions were too much for both sides with repeat loose balls. It eventually came altogether for Manly with Tony Williams’s crossing over for his second of the night and the last try for Manly, and with a missed conversion, leading the visitors’ eighteen points.

Melbourne would have the last play of the match, as ‘whizz kid’ Billy Slater broke away from the line to register the Storm’s first try on full-time, unconverted.
Manly triumphant eighteen points to four…