Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. TOTOTO Manly fans were hoping their loss to the Eels last week was just a glitch in the Foz-ball system. But when Scott Drinkwater scored a golden-point field goal from 32 meters to give the Cowboys
Manly fans were hoping their loss to the Eels last week was just a glitch in the Foz-ball system.
But when Scott Drinkwater scored a golden-point field goal from 32 meters to give the Cowboys a 19-18 victory and a place in the top eight, he also handed Kieran Foran his first home defeat as Sea Eagles head coach.
It was a sobering moment for Foran and his Sea Eagles, who had led just nine minutes before Reuben Cotter burst in for an equaliser.
The Sea Eagles were free when Jake Clifford missed the conversion to send the game to golden point. However, with the Cowboys forcing their way through the Manly half, Drinkwater was served his field goal opportunity on a plate and the Dragons-bound fullback drilled it straight through to claim the win.
The loss marks Foran’s first consecutive defeats as head coach and leaves the Sea Eagles outside the top eight.
For a while, it looked like Manly had done enough to limp to victory, after Jason Saab punished Jamal Fogarty in the 65th minute for his second try.
But it was North Queensland who had the momentum in the second half, with Braidon Burns also scoring a brace – his outstretched arm beating Koula and Lehi Hopoate to make it a four-point difference with 12 minutes left in the match.
The Cowboys also dominated the early parts of the game, with Tom Chester sliding between Jake Trbojevic and Simione Laifi to score the first goal, before the visitors were denied a second three minutes later when Burns’ foot came into contact while attempting to score.
But the Sea Eagles controlled the middle half of the game, and with Reed Mahoney also controversially denied before half-time (his try was ruled a double move, despite momentum carrying him towards in-goal), it looked like the Sea Eagles would keep the momentum in their favour.
That change was thanks to Tom Trbojevic, who cut through the middle of the field before passing to Jason Saab in support on the right edge to score Manly’s first in the 16th minute.
The Sea Eagles then headed left to find their second, with a beautiful pass from Joey Walsh to Koula, who found Hopate waiting at the rim to score.
Next it was Olakau’atu’s turn to smash the North Queensland defence, as he dragged Clifford, Mahoney, Zac Laybutt and Jeremiah Nanai with him as he broke through and reached out for a one-handed score.
But the Sea Eagles tired in the second half, and Saab’s second was Manly’s only try in the final 40 minutes.
Things got worse when Ben Trbojevic was sent off in the 11th minute after a head collision with Thomas Mikaele; He subsequently failed evaluation for his head injury. The Sea Eagles also lost Corey Waddell to an ankle injury in the first half.
It all caught up to them in the end, when the Cowboys applied more creativity and speed to get back home in the final minutes of the game.
Foran’s next challenge will be to face his former club the Titans again, but this time on the Gold Coast on Sunday. It’s a challenge Foran has already had to overcome, with Manly narrowly winning 12-10 the last time they faced the Titans in May.
Billie Eder is a sports reporter for the Sydney Morning Herald.Connect through X either email.From our partners
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