A controversial strive has left Manly fuming after the Panthers claimed a 32-22 win in Sunday afternoon’s conflict in Penrith.
The Sea Eagles had raced out of the blocks with three tries to at least one to open up a 12-4 lead by way of a hat-trick to Tommy Talau by the twenty sixth minute earlier than the Panthers hit again.
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However with 20 minutes remaining, a controversial second had fan bases divided after the Panthers scored a strive regardless of Jarome Luai and Luke Brooks partaking in some push and shove.
Manly have been nonetheless within the match at 22-12 however Liam Henry crashed over for his second NRL strive, in the end opening up a 28-12 lead.
Immediately, Fox League’s commentators questioned if Luai had obstructed Brooks, leaving a gap for Daine Laurie to run via and put Henry over the road.
However Andrew Voss rapidly modified his tune.
“Brooks has carried on — I can’t take the strive off Penrith,” Voss stated. “You may say he denied him the area — he has little interest in taking the area.
“If Brooks reveals he’s attempting to stroll away, I take the strive off Penrith. However he’s attempting to go on with it.”
He added “widespread sense says it’s a strive”.
And to Voss’ level, widespread sense prevailed with the Bunker confirming the 4 pointer.
Cooper Cronk stated it was exhausting to inform who began the push and shove and agreed it was the precise name.
Talking on Channel 9, Cameron Smith stated: “He had a possibility to get out of it, didn’t he? He may’ve simply performed on, Luke Brooks.”
Andrew Johns stated: “You don’t see this off Luke Brooks in any respect, any of that type of niggle stuff. Whereas Jarome, he loves it.”
Smith stated it confirmed youngsters at dwelling they needed to “play to the whistle”.
The Sea Eagles have been removed from blissful, with referee Gerard Sutton telling Brooks he wanted to have walked away from the situation, whereas captain Daly Cherry-Evans requested if he’d seen “what he did”.
What he was referring to was some alleged facial massaging from Luai on Ben Trbojevic on the bottom, with Cherry-Evans saying: “That’s what began it”.
Put up-match, Seibold stated Brooks “isn’t a famend scrapper”, earlier than Cherry-Evans butted in.
“I believe he noticed one thing there and he was simply sticking up for his teammate,” Cherry-Evans stated.
“I don’t assume he acquired baited and I favored what he did there. I don’t assume he gave away a strive. There was one thing there.”
Requested if he believed the Panthers would have scored if Brooks simply acquired again within the defensive position, Cherry-Evans stated: “I’m unsure.”
Seibold stated he was “sticking up for his mate,” including Brooks had “been a extremely honest participant for a extremely very long time”.
Seibold and Cherry-Evans wouldn’t say what was stated however it should have been brutal for a man like Brooks to react.
“One thing occurred on the ground with Benny Trbojevic and he was looking for his mate,” Seibold stated.
“In case you dig down slightly bit deeper and have a great take a look at what occurred there, Brooksy’s not a fighter.
“Finally they scored in order that they have been too good for us.”
When requested concerning the incident, Luai put the ball again in Manly’s courtroom.
“Till they are saying one thing about it (what was stated), that’s on them,” Luai stated.
“There was a little bit of feeling. It’s simply the competitor in me.”
Within the courtroom of public opinion, the decision was fairly cut up.
“Can’t give that. Luai clearly interfering with the defence. What a joke,” one fan wrote.
“How’s {that a} strive when Brooks is being held again by Luai? What’s the bunker ?” one other added.
However on the opposite facet, one other fan posted: “Luke Brooks selecting to sq. as much as Luai somewhat than defend LMAOOOO.”
One other commented: “Luke Brooks getting concerned in a stink and costing his crew a strive. Good.”
It was a surprising match dominated by the skin backs.
For the Panthers, Brian To’o completed with 261m from 18 runs in addition to three tries, Sunia Turuva scored twice and ran 229m, whereas Daine Laurie had a line break, two line break assists and a strive help in addition to a large 344m from 26 runs.
For Manly, Talau completed with 4 tries, whereas Jason Saab added one himself, with each males operating over 100m, whereas centre Reuben Garrick had a crew excessive 209m for the Sea Eagles.
Laurie was huge for the Panthers within the absence of standard fullback Dylan Edwards.
“It was my greatest recreation of the yr,” he stated.
“I’ve been on the bench lots so as soon as I acquired my alternative, I needed to rip in.
“Dylan’s out so I had some large footwear to fill. I wished to construct momentum for my crew and I used to be attempting to do the perfect I may and play like Dylan.”
Coach Ivan Cleary praised the best way Laurie took his alternative to play within the No.1 jersey for a full 80 minutes.
“He was excellent at the moment.” Cleary stated.
“I’m actually blissful for him. He’s one in all us right here and he got here again searching for a possibility and he’s been affected person.”
It was a troublesome afternoon for the Sea Ealges as backrower Haumole Olakau’atu didn’t return after leaving the sphere within the first half with calf tightness.
With Matt Jones, NCA Newswire
