KEY POINTS:
SYDNEY - Manly halfback Matt Orford is not a big game choker.
The much maligned Dally M winner put his critics to bed last night, capping his brilliant year by leading his team to the greatest premiership win in rugby league history.
Manly's 40-0 win over Melbourne at ANZ Stadium was not Orford's best game of the year, but it never needed to be.
The Sea Eagles are a champion team and the only way they were ever going to win the title was if 17 players, not just Orford, all did their job.
But when it really mattered, Orford came up with the three plays on either side of halftime that turned the game in Manly's favour.
Firstly he hit prop Antonio Kaufusi, a man 14cm taller and 22kg heavier, so hard that he jolted the ball free inside Manly's attacking zone just seven minutes before the break.
A few tackles later Orford ran to the left and set up a backline play which resulted in Michael Robertson scoring in the corner for a decisive second try and 8-0 lead.
"I don't think that was defining," he said of his tackle on Kaufusi.
"I just had to put the small body in front of him and lucky for us they came up with an error."
Seven minutes after halftime, Orford ran again to the left but this time grubbered perfectly for Robertson to touch down in the corner.
Orford then made one of his best decisions of the game, handing the ball to Steve Matai for the sideline conversion attempt after he had twice missed in the first half.
Matai's kick just sailed between the posts and with a 14-0 lead the Sea Eagles were never going to get run down.
Robertson completed his hat-trick by the 51st minute and Manly were home.
It was a brilliant victory for the Sea Eagles particularly after the dismal performance they all produced on the same stage last year.
Orford was not Manly's best player, that honour was rightfully bestowed upon tireless prop Brent Kite who won the Clive Churchill medal.
The medal could have easily gone to Robertson or hooker Matt Ballin.
Manly coach Des Hasler praised the work of his entire side and said players like Orford deserved selection in the Australian World Cup squad on Tuesday.
"He had to prove nothing tonight as far as I'm concerned," Hasler said of his captain.
Orford said he was happy not to be the standout and didn't care what the critics thought of his performance.
"Melbourne came out and publicly said they were going to target me so I just said if they want to target me then we have 16 other blokes that are very dangerous," said Orford.
"We were very mature and controlled in what we did tonight and everyone played their role.
"Who cares what people write about me. I'm happy to win a grand final."
- AAP
