Newcastle Knights 12
It wasn't the Brett Stewart show the Brookvale faithful were hoping for, but Manly managed to grind out a 26-12 NRL win over a depleted and brave Newcastle on Sunday.
Stewart threw the last pass for two of the Sea Eagles' first half tries, and while it was a nice return to the ground he loves, the Knights' courage in the face of a horrendous injury toll was the story of the day.
The previously undefeated Knights had a day to forget, where they were reduced to just 13 fit men midway through the second half.
For the resurgent Sea Eagles it was their second straight win, and coach Des Hasler may have found a long-term centre, with youngster Will Hopoate showing enormous strength out wide to bag an impressive double and lead his side to victory.
Already down 16-6 at halftime, things quickly got dire for Newcastle.
Five-eighth Beau Henry suffered a suspected broken right leg (42nd minute), while his replacement at pivot Ben Rogers was forced off the field minutes later with a right shoulder injury.
Newcastle lost Shannon McDonnell (halftime) and Richard Fa'aoso (52nd) to concussion, while second rower Cameron Ciraldo bravely battled on in the second half despite a torn pectoral muscle. Eventually Ciraldo came off and Fa'aso showed great courage to get back out there.
Captain Kurt Gidley, Isaac De Gois and Mark Taufua are already on the sidelines.
Coach Rick Stone was also left to lament either poor-discipline for his side or over-the-top refereeing, with the Knights conceding an unprecedented four scrum penalties. One of those was for Jarrod Mullen feeding the ball into the second row, a rule which hasn't been enforced for decades.
Nineteen year-old Hopoate was the star for Manly.
In the 37th minute he took a pass from Stewart, found the smallest of openings 10 metres out, before forcing the ball down despite the attention of four Knights tacklers.
He completed his double in the 43rd minute when he fended off a would-be defender and reached out with one arm to touch down.
Winger David Williams, who like Brett Stewart is also steadily making his way back from long-term injuries, also nabbed two tries for the Sea Eagles.
Zeb Taia scored a double for Newcastle, who displayed plenty of ticker to not concede more tries and to keep the margin as tight as they did.
Manly 26 (W Hopoate 2 D Williams 2 M Robertson tries D Cherry-Evans 3 goals) bt Newcastle 12 (Z Taia 2 tries W Naiqama 2 goals) at Brookvale Oval. Referee: Shayne Hayne, Gerard Sutton. Crowd: 13,087.
- AAP
