NRL: Understrength Manly down Roosters

Steve Matai of the Sea Eagles is tackled by Sam Perrett of the Roosters during the round 11 NRL match between the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles and the Sydney Roosters. Photo / Getty Images.

An under-strength Manly flexed their premiership muscle with a hard-fought 18-10 NRL victory over Sydney Roosters at Brookvale Oval on Sunday.

With four players already missing through NSW Origin commitments, the Sea Eagles were dealt another blow after just 15 minutes with star five-eighth Kieran Foran leaving the game with an ankle injury.

The Sea Eagles were not without their good fortune, with the Roosters controversially denied a try which could have levelled the match with 20 minutes to go.

Roosters halfback Daniel Mortimer, who scored earlier in the match, was desperately unlucky not to have a double when he was denied by video referee Pat Reynolds, who spotted an infringement by second-rower Brad Takairangi in the lead-up to the try.

Takairangi, who provided the offload for Mortimer's run, was ruled to have hit Manly's Daniel Harrison with his elbow while making the hitup and was subsequently put on report.

In Foran's first game back from five weeks sidelined with a hamstring injury Foran's day ended when he limped out of a Martin Kennedy tackle struggling to put weight on his right ankle.

The New Zealand international tried to battle on, putting in the kick at the end of the set, but succumbed to the injury after less than 60 seconds.

In his absence, brother Liam was the key to Manly's impressive victory with the elder Foran laying on a try for Steve Matai with a miracle bounce right on halftime which levelled the scores at 10-10 at the break.

Another of the Sea Eagles' unsung heroes, back-rower Daniel Harrison, scored the only try of the second half when he ran a perfect pass by fill-in fullback Dean Whare, but the game wasn't sealed until captain Jamie Lyon kicked a penalty goal to extend the lead to eight points in the 72nd minute - delighting the crowd of 12,633.

Manly opened the scoring in just the third minute when Cherry-Evans threw a perfect cutout pass for Michael Oldfield to score untouched in the corner.

The Roosters enjoyed the bulk of chances in the middle period of the first half, with Sam Perrett latching onto a lovely Braith Anasta crossfield kick while Mortimer scored to give the visitors the lead in the 31st minute.

Overlooked by Ricky Stuart's Origin team, Manly backrower Anthony Watmough had a powerful game, running for 129 metres and making 34 tackles.

-AAP