NRL: Manly hit playoffs in great form

Anthony Watmough. Photo / Getty Images

NRL
Sea Eagles 38
Titans 4

Defending champions Manly primed themselves nicely for the playoffs with a comprehensive thumping of the out-of-sorts Titans at Brookvale Oval last night.

The Sea Eagles scored seven tries to none and were full of zest and enthusiasm against a Titans side which barely fired a shot.

Manly will play the fourth-placed Storm in Melbourne next week, while the third-placed Titans will have to regroup after last night's battering.

It was a rousing performance by Manly, in the backs and forwards, who were often rampant, while Matt Orford directed play cleverly from halfback.

The Titans went into the game knowing they could not improve on their third placing, with the Dragons (the minor premiers) and the Bulldogs having clinched the top two spots, and they seemed flat.

The Melbourne Storm's win over the Warriors meant the Sea Eagles were unable to finish higher than fifth but they made sure of it with one of their best performances of the season.

The Titans had won only once in four previous matches against Manly, 18-17 on the Gold Coast earlier this year, and had not won previously at Brookvale. Both teams had won last weekend, the Titans over the Tigers and Manly unconvincingly against lowly Cronulla.

There was a full moon at Brookvale, almost a full house and early joy for the Sea Eagles fans when standoff Kieran Foran scored in a scramble after an Orford bomb. The cheering had hardly died before wing David Williams scored his 10th try of the season after he was given an overlap by Brett Stewart and Manly led 12-0.

The horror show for the Titans continued when Ben Farrar scored in the right corner, his 11th try of the season, and Stewart plucked a high kick by Orford out of the air, for Manly to lead 22-0 after 34 minutes.

Manly had almost two-thirds of possession in the first half and were almost entirely dominant. Gold Coast spent little time on attack and what ball they did have, they wasted with woeful passing and handling.

Manly forwards Anthony Watmough and Brent Kite created havoc with strong runs up the middle, and the backs were slick and sharp.

It just got worse for the Titans in the second spell. Mat Rogers did not return because of a strained hamstring, Luke O'Dwyer was helped off when his knee buckled and Glenn Hall barged over for Manly's fifth try to stretch their lead to 28-0.

Orford burst through some weak tackles for an all-too-easy try and Williams scored his second after big George Rose smashed through the Titans defence in midfield.

Manly 38 (K. Foran, D. Williams, 2, B. Farrar, B. Stewart, G. Hall, M. Orford tries, M.Orford 5 gls) Titans 4 (K Gordon). Halftime: 22-0.