The Manly Sea Eagles took a lead into the halftime break in opposition to the Canterbury Bulldogs after an “outrageous” determination left the Canine a person down.
There have been simply over 5 minutes left within the half when Daly Cherry-Evans linked with Tom Trbojevic to place Reuben Garrick down the sideline from 30m out.
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With Trbojevic again on the within and Bulldogs swarming, Garrick kicked off the aspect of the boot.
However Canterbury halfback touched the again of Trbojevic and it was sufficient to persuade referee Grant Atkins there was sufficient interference.
It was despatched up as a “potential penalty strive” and whereas Steve Roach believed it was a penalty, if not a sin bin, Warren Smith wasn’t so satisfied.
“Kyle Flanagan was shifting backwards within the route of the ball there,” he mentioned.
Michael Ennis mentioned: “It’s hardly a contact from Flanagan.”
“It regarded like Tom had overrun the ball anyway,” Roach added.
However that was sufficient to persuade the Bunker and whereas it wasn’t a strive, it was nearly as good as as a result of Manly unfold it extensive on the third deal with and used the over lap for Garrick to place the Sea Eagles forward 12-6.
When he heard the choice, Ennis mentioned: “Skilled foul? That’s ridiculous.”
“I can’t consider this,” he continued. “I can not consider Kyle Flanagan is within the sin bin for what we noticed on Tom Trbojevic. It was merely a contact, he laid his hand flippantly on his again. Outrageous determination.”
Smith added he believed Trbojevic seemed to be slowing down and Flanagan was attempting to keep away from operating into him.
Roach mentioned Flanagan was chasing the ball as effectively.
Nonetheless, the sin bin and subsequent strive all stay within the books.
The Canine had been fortunate to go in solely six factors down and Josh Addo-Carr nearly handed the Sea Eagles a four-pointer.
With the final play of the half, Addo-Carr picked up a choose by way of the road however when he was tackled, tried to dump and left the ball on the deck.
Kicking it by way of twice, it regarded like Sea Eagles five-eighth Cooper Johns had capped off an amazing strive however he was overwhelmed to the ball by Canine prop Josh King, who simply bought his hand to the ball first.
“The save of the century from Max King,” Smith mentioned.
It despatched the Sea Eagles to the break with a 12-6 lead.
However the Sea Eagles had been capable of take benefit with just below 5 minutes of the sin bin remaining as Cherry-Evans scored Manly’s third attempt to make it 18-6 earlier than Flanagan returned to the match.
