Eagles soar in game of the year
MANLY skipper Daly CherryEvans has snapped a field goal in the final minute of golden point to steal an 11-10 win over Melbourne in their NRL clash at AAMI Park.
It was the eighth field-goal attempt by both teams last night as they scrambled to break a 10-10 deadlock.
Cherry-Evans kicked truly from 25m out with 36 seconds remaining to give his team a deserved win after they had led 10-0 at halftime. In a crazy period of play, field-goal attempts by Melbourne playmaker Cameron Munster and Sea Eagles five-eighth Dylan Walker both hit an upright. During the first five minutes of golden point, the Sea Eagles also had Jake Trbojevic put on report for an alleged spear tackle that sent Storm fullback Jahrome Hughes to the sidelines for a HIA test.
Manly handed the competition leaders their first defeat since Round 8 when they dominated the home side in the first half.
The Sea Eagles scored one first-half try through secondrower Joel Thompson and were unlucky not to have another after the bunker ruled an obstruction by Addin FonuaBlake early in a subsequent move.
It took a freakish effort by veteran centre Will Chambers to get the Storm on the scoreboard in the 49th minute.
A break by speedster Ryan Papenhuyzen put Melbourne into position before Chambers put a kick through into the ingoal and somehow managed to ground the ball before it went into touch, diving over the top of Manly winger Jorge Taufua.
Brandon Smith barrelled across from dummy-half in the 66th minute, with his captain converting for the 10-10 scoreline.
The Storm had most of the running as the clock wound down but the Sea Eagles’ steely defence held up.
Tom Trbojevic appeared set to steal the game for his team with five minutes remaining when he only had Hughes to beat, but the Storm fullback managed to bring his superstar rival to ground.
It seemed like each team would be forced to settle for a point before Cherry-Evans’ heroics handed the home team a rare defeat.