Sea Eagles 28 Cowboys 6
KEY POINTS:
They might be the side Sydneysiders love to hate but there must be a grudging respect for Manly after they swept into the grand final last night.
Des Hasler's side have been the second-best side all season and they deserve to take their place in next weekend's Big
Show after another typically clinical performance.
The Cowboys went into the match with terrific momentum after a club-record seven wins on the trot but Manly have built their momentum over the season and have become an irresistible force.
North Queensland went into the sheds level at 6-6 at halftime but the Manly machine clicked up a gear in the second spell to run away comfortable victors.
It now means it will be their first appearance in the grand final since 1997, when they made their third trip to the showpiece event in three years.
Coach Bob Fulton built a side during the acrimonious years of the mid-1990s on solid defence and relentless attack and it's similar to the way Des Hasler's side approach the game.
They keep pounding away at opposition sides like a jackhammer and wait for the cracks to open.
Cracks appeared in the Cowboys' defence early and it was only some scrambling defence that kept the Sea Eagles at bay.
Brilliant fullback Matt Bowen, who had been under an injury cloud prior to kickoff due to a thigh injury, pulled off another one of his try-saving tackles in the fifth minute.
It was a sign of things to come, however, as Manly found holes up the middle of the park through some incisive running by Michael Monaghan.
They were virtually camped inside the Cowboys' half but the only problem was they couldn't land the opening blow.
They were twice denied a try by the video referee for obstruction - the Cowboys also had one to Johnathan Thurston ruled out - but a penalty was the extent of the damage they could inflict inside the first half hour.
It was a matter of whether frustration would get the better of Manly but they held their composure and were rewarded when Brett Stewart fooled everyone and dived over from dummy half on the final tackle.
For all their dominance, however, they might have been a little bemused to glance at the scoreboard and see it was 6-6 at halftime.
The Cowboys might be full of no-names and they might have been reeling against the ropes but they refuse to know when they're beaten.
They don't need many chances but they know how to take them and Jacob Lillyman crossed in the 40th minute, the recipient of a brilliant Justin Smith pass close to the line.
Graham Murray's side didn't help themselves when they went to sleep three minutes after the restart and allowed Anthony Watmough to burst over from a quick tap close to the line. In the arm wrestles of finals football, it was a lamentable error.
Their night got even tougher when Steven Bell scored 10 minutes later after a flowing movement following a series of quick play-the-balls and it was all over when Jamie Lyon crossed in the 71st minute.
Manly concede an average of only 15 points a game and they weren't about to gift points to the opposition in the biggest game of their season to date.
Of course, next week's one will be even bigger. If Melbourne do what most expect they will today and beat Parramatta, it just remains to be seen if New South Welshmen swallow their pride and support one of their own.
Manly 28 (B. Stewart, A. Watmough, S. Bell, J. Lyon, L. Williamson tries, M. Orford 4 gls) Cowboys 6 (J. Lillyman try, J. Thurston gl). HT: 6-6.
