DEPARTING Manly captain Daly Cherry-Evans adopted a defiant tone after kicking the winning field goal in his final match for the club.
The Warriors, defeated 27-26, go into the play-offs in sub-optimal form. Their captain, James Fisher-Harris, touched down just eight seconds into the 4 Pines Park encounter- won 27-26 by Manly – when the kick-off was allowed to bounce.
But in front of a vocal home crowd, Anthony Seibold’s men were able to steady the ship – despite a host of injuries – and led 14-10 at halftime.
It was Cherry-Evans, thought to be joining Sydney Roosters next year, who booted the 75th minute one-pointer with his left foot from 30 metres out and in front.
While saying he felt overwhelming positive about the appreciation fans had shown him, the 36-year-old added under questioning: “I think it’s important to acknowledge I might not be finishing here, which is a lot of people’s wishes (to have done so).
“But I’m going to finish my career how I want to finish it.
“And I get that it’s going to make people disappointed and angry and frustrated but that’s life, it’s just life so I’m not going to be looking back – that’s for sure.”
They posted three consecutive first-half tries – to winger Lehi Hopoate (four minutes), hooker Jake Simpkin (10) and Hopoate again (15).
Warriors winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak scored six minutes short of the break before the Sea Eagles kicked clear again via halfback Luke Brooks (42 mins) and back-rower Ethan Bullemor (48).
But the visitors kept things interesting via fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (54 min) and quick-thinking hooker Sam Healey (74).
This was a disappointing showing from the Warriors, who lost their place in the top four the previous evening to Brisbane and who have only Luke Metcalf to come back into their side for the play-offs.
For Manly, centres Tommy Talau (broken thumb) and Clayton Faulalo (concussion) plus interchange Aaron Schoupp (ACL) finished the season wounded and were unavailable for long stretches of the match.
Warriors centre Rocco Berry is out of the finals with a dislocated shoulder.
“We kept throwing punches right the way through but they just weren’t the right ones,” said Warriors coach Andrew Webster.
MANLY 27 (Hopoate 2 Simpkin Brooks Bullemor tries Cherry Evans 3 goals field goal) beat WARRIORS 26Â (Watene-Zelezniak 2 Fisher-Harris Nicoll-Klokstad Healey tries Boyd 3 goals) at 4 Pines Park.
Embed from Getty Images
Teams:
MANLY: Tom Trbojevic; Jason Saab, Clayton Faulalo, Tommy Talau, Lehi Hopoate; Luke Brooks, Daly Cherry-Evans (c); Matt Lodge, Jake Simpkin, Siosiau Tauleiaho, Corey Waddell, Ben Trbojevic, Jazz Tevaga. Res: Joey Walsh, Caleb Navale, Ethan Bullemor, Aaron Schoupp. 18th man: Simione Laiafi.
WARRIORS: Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad; Dallin Watene Zelezniak. Adam Pompey, Rocco Berry, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck; Chanel Harris-Tevita, Tanah Boyd; James Fisher-Harris (c), Sam Healey, Tanner Stowers-Smith, Kurt Capewell, Marata Nuikore, Erin Clark. Res: Te Maire Martin, Eddie Ieremia-Toeava, Demitric Vaimauga, Leka Halasima. 18th man: Taine Tuaupiki.
Referee: Todd Smith