Grand Final: Key moments
There had been a perception that if the Warriors could live with Manly in the opening 20 minutes they would be in with a chance. They did more than that, with the score locked up 0-0 after the first quarter, but just needed to be closer in the final 20.
They initially played with control and aggression and showed they wouldn't be intimidated by the toughest pack in the competition. Manly tried to assert themselves, sometimes illegally like the disgraceful elbow by George Rose to Aaron Heremaia's head when he was prone on the ground, but this Warriors outfit don't buckle easily.
Rose's antics cost his side the first points of the game - a Maloney penalty - but that proved to be a turning point as two massive calls from the referees changed the complexion of the game.
Firstly, they ruled Feleti Mateo lost the ball rather than had it stripped on his own 40m line and Brett Stewart crossed soon after. Then on the stroke of halftime Cherry-Evans was the beneficiary of another contentious decision when Johnson was obstructed by Cherry-Evans. Referee Matt Cecchin had the whistle to his mouth but didn't have the conviction to blow and Cherry-Evans took advantage to cross in the next play.
Although the Warriors hadn't really threatened in the opening 40, they didn't deserve to be trailing 12-2 at halftime, either.
It's always hoped referees have a negligible impact on a match, particularly grand finals, but they needed to take action in those two instances. It resulted in 12 points and it might not have been a coincidence it came immediately after Manly skipper Jamie Lyon had spent a couple of minutes in the ear of Tony Archer.
"Welcome to the Warriors,'' coach Ivan Cleary said when asked about calls going against them. "It was a bitter pill to swallow that try just before halftime.
"I honestly thought the referee was going to blow for a penalty and he didn't. I don't know who it was who was pulled down just before the line but I wish he had scored [so it could have been referred to the video referee]. That's just an anomaly in the rule. It was just one of those things. I just got the feeling it was Manly's night.''
It certainly looked that way early in the second half as Manly pinned the Warriors in their own half. It didn't help that the Warriors also committed a handful of errors but the Sydnesiders were playing their best football and did to the Warriors what the Warriors did to Melbourne last weekend.
When Glenn Stewart collected a brilliant back-flick from Hopoate as the winger was being bustled over the sideline to establish an 18-2 lead, there was a sense it was too much.
The Warriors changed their approach - they had to - and flicked the ball around in a throwback to 2002. Johnson was mesmerising and laid on tries to Manu Vatuvei and Elijah Taylor. But there wasn't going to be a miracle this time.
That will have to wait at least another year.
Warriors 10 (Manu Vatuvei, Elijah Taylor tries; James Maloney gl) Manly 24 (Brett Stewart, Daly Cherry-Evans, Glenn Stewart, Jamie Lyon tries; Lyon 3 gls, Michael Robertson gl). HT: 2-12.
Match statistics
Match highlights recap:
