Manly and Parramatta have played out plenty of classics over the years, and you can add this right in there among the best of them.
There’s see-saw clashes, and then there’s this: Manly racing ahead, Parra reeling them in, Manly overturning that and pulling away again, before being again hauled down. A late interception seemed to have settled it, only for another Eels try to bring it back. Four tries in the last six minutes took it, finally to 34-30 to the Sea Eagles.
They go 2-0 with a bye, Parra are stranded on 0-3. For the third week in a row, they have scored as many tries as their opponents and lost.
Brad Arthur would pull his hair out if he had any. It’s infuriating to put yourself in such a good position to win, only to repeatedly not do it. But he will take heart from his side’s attack, their commitment and their willingness to keep going.
There’s plenty to suggest that Parra are a better team than 0-3 suggests. But with Penrith next and the Roosters after that, they just got one closer to a 0-5 start.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Something strange is happening with Manly’s defence
Much will be made of the way that Manly attack under Anthony Seibold, but the defence has been notably different in the two outings of 2023 so far.
They are, perhaps more than any other side, chasing the collison. Trying to hurt blokes. Putting the shots on.
Most sides will try to contain and dominate, tackling higher on the body and then looking to slow the play the ball, preferably turning the ball carrier such that their head faces towards their own posts.
Manly are doing a bit of that, but also something else. The edge forwards and centres seem hell bent on spotting up opponents and really setting their feet to hit.
Whatever you call it, it’s a pretty unique way of approaching the game, because on the evidence of 160 minutes of footy, it seems pretty high risk.
Sure, when it works it is spectacular. It’s hard to remember a game with more mistakes caused through contact than their Round 1 clash with the Bulldogs. Tonight, it was similar stuff for most of the first half and parts of the second.
In between, however, there were some shocking misses. Parra’s first was a comedy of errors defensively, with Christian Tuipulotu trying to shoot the line and opening a path for Clint Gutherson. Tolu Koula tried the big shot and failed to stick the landing, allowing Gutho a second easy try.
Even Jake Trbojevic, probably the best defender in the game, was made to look silly at one point by Josh Hodgson.
Teams will watch the tape and notice this. Hodgson saw some of it and tried the kick in behind early, and Mitch Moses found joy by stepping out of harm’s way and attacking where the man had left.
It’s something to watch going forward – two games is a small sample size but if this is the trend, then it’ll be box office. It might not work, it’ll be fun to watch.
Josh Schuster might be a world beater
The story of Manly’s opening round win over Canterbury was the debut of new coach Anthony Seibold, but it was lacking the second big intrigue of the off-season: their new five eighth, Josh Schuster.
His attempt to shed 15 kilos and transition from a back rower with good hands to a big bodied half dominated narratives, but a calf injury struck him down on the eve of the season.
Tonight, he got to show everyone what the new, streamlined Schuster can do. On the evidence of this, that’s plenty.
Nobody has ever doubted his ability as a ball-runner or a slick passer, but plenty had suggested that limitations in other areas – kicking and consistency – might hold him back.
Tonight showcased the threat that he brings in the halves, with an ability to take the ball close to the line with real authority that is borne out of his frame, which is still north of 100kgs.
Tom Trbojevic repeatedly ran in his slipstream and made hay, setting up one for Reuben Garrick and scoring one himself. Defenders have to follow Schuster, and if they do, it creates space for Turbo.
He even seems to have learned how to kick, with one deft chip that might have been classed as lucky, had he not produced a perfectly-weighted dink for Haumole Olakau’atu later on.
It’s just game one, but the combination of Schuster and Turbo on the left, which Manly favoured heavily, is ominous – if the pair can stay fit. Schuster left early with a twinge in that calf, which doesn’t bode well.
Parra are made of tough stuff
It’s been a rough trot for the Eels to start the year. Twice, they’ve charged into leads against good teams, and twice been reeled in and lost it late.
Tonight, that trend was reversed. They were nowhere early on and Manly dominated. The front row pair departed with no points on the board and 14 for the Sea Eagles. And yet, as if by force of will, they pulled themselves back in.
It was done in a strange old manner, however. They kept making errors, but Manly suddenly made more. They were getting battered in the collision, but got up and kept going.
In the end, King Gutho got his moments. He skinned Daly Cherry-Evans for the first, then wriggled away from Koula for the third. In between, some Mitch Moses magic got Matt Doorey over.
Parra dominated field position for the first hour, but Manly defended well. Then the Sea Eagles absented themselves from individual tackles and, as you would expect from a side as good as the Eels, they were made to pay for it.
But again – the defence let them down. You can’t concede six tries and have any expectation of winning a game in the NRL.
That said, they might well have. Will Penisini bombed the simplest of pick ups for one and Reagan Campbell-Gillard had one took off for a forward pass that never, ever was. Change those two and Brad Arthur might be happier.
Instead they go home with nothing, for the third week in a row, having matched their opponents.
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