NRL: Eels smash Manly to end losing streak

Manly completed just 15 sets and had only 42 per cent of the ball in the loss. Photo / Dean Purcell

Parramatta snapped their winless start to the NRL season and ended arch-rival Manly's week from hell with a 44-10 hammering yesterday.

Just five weeks after the Sea Eagles flogged the Eels 54-0, Parramatta's 88-point turnaround was the fourth biggest of the NRL era as their halves finally clicked at ANZ Stadium.

It represented a significant change in fortunes for Manly, who have now lost three in a row and came after a week of off-field woes involving the Jackson Hastings and Daly Cherry-Evans fiasco.

Manly completed just 15 sets and had only 42 per cent of the ball in the loss, as they were completely dominated by an Eels side that suddenly looked much improved through the middle to claim their first win in round seven.

A battered and bruised Cronulla shook off a mounting injury toll to ignite their season with a 26-22 upset of Penrith.

The Sharks were already under pressure with Paul Gallen (knee) and Wade Graham (hamstring) watching from the sideline at the Southern Cross Group Stadium and their position became even worse when they lost Luke Lewis in the 12th minute.

And with 828 NRL games worth of experience missing, the Sharks put in their best performance of the year yesterday to break a two-game losing streak.

Playing against his junior club for the first time, five-eighth Matt Moylan had his best game in Sharks colours as the Panthers were knocked from second spot.

It was an important two points for Cronulla, who have looked down on confidence the first six weeks.

- AAP