NRL: Manly too strong at home

Manly's Steve Matai (right) carts the ball up. Photo / Getty Images

The Manly Sea Eagles illustrated why they are minor premiership contenders in the wet conditions, highlighted by almost perfect rugby league to execute two tries and take a 12-0 lead in the first quarter hour.

The North Queensland Cowboys struggled to counter that initial momentum afterwards. It was not until the back end of the first half that they showed it was a match between third and fourth on the ladder.

The win takes the Sea Eagles into clear second on 22 points until at least Monday, when Melbourne play Sydney.

It was the first time in 12 years North Queensland had been beaten at Manly's Brookvale Oval.

Manly have now won eight of their last nine matches; it was North Queensland's second loss in nine.

It took until the 17th minute before the Cowboys penetrated into the Sea Eagles half with any real effect.

A spilt ball from Michael Oldfield, snapped up by Matt Bowen, initiated their first foray inside the Manly 20m line.

Manly's halves combination of Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran starred. They passed expertly when taking the ball to the line and matched that with pinpoint kicking games.

In setting up the first try, Cherry-Evans grubbered like he was goofing around at a local park unopposed on a Sunday afternoon rather than with a host of Cowboys defenders on him in first grade.

Brett Stewart chased it down unopposed with fullback Matt Bowen left bemused with little option but to stare as the kick threaded its way through the defence.

Foran's effort to find Stewart in the 65th minute again demonstrated a near telepathic relationship.

Prop George Rose's timing to hit a pop-up pass from hooker Matt Ballin was just as sweet, meaning he barrelled over at full speed - a daunting sight for any opposition defence, albeit on the back of a missed knock-on by Steve Matai earlier in the play.

The halves combination was backed by a robust forward pack who gave Manly the ascendancy. Second half try-scorer Matai also produced ferocious defence on the left edge, which contrasted against North Queensland's 13 missed tackles in the first half.

However, the Cowboys made solid use of their possession during that period, completing 18 of 19 sets.

North Queensland missed the services of halfback Johnathan Thurston, who is on State of Origin duty.

Michael Morgan was sound if not spectacular as a replacement but kicking a ball out on the full after Ashley Graham's resuscitating try in the 57th minute was clumsy. Other Origin absentees were Matthew Scott for the Cowboys and Anthony Watmough and Will Hopoate for the Sea Eagles.

Sea Eagles 24 (B. Stewart 2, G. Rose, S. Matai tries, J. Lyon 4 gls)
Cowboys 4 (A. Graham try). HT: 12-0.