Manly Warringah Sea Eagles have marked captain Daly Cherry-Evans 350th game with a thumping 58-30 win over the Dolphins in Round 25 of the Telstra NRL Premiership at 4 Pines Park.
It was an emotional build up to kick off as DCE entered the field with his three young daughters by his side, in what loomed as his second last home game at Brookie.
Unlike previous week’s the Sea Eagles didn’t get off to a good start, conceding a try in the third minute after a dropped ball in their opening set.
Dolphins edge forward Kulikefu Finefeuiaki then charged on to a short ball from Isaiya Katoa from about 10 metres out to put his team up 6-0.
Manly hit back six minutes later after forcing a goal line drop out, with Matt Lodge crashing over from close range after receiving a well-timed pass from Tom Trbojevic at dummy half.
The Dolphins next visit to Manly’s red zone came after a high tackle penalty against Siua Taukeiaho which led to the visitors’ second try in the 14th minute.
Jeremy Marshall-King took advantage of a quick play the ball to dart over from dummy half next to the posts to put his team ahead 12-6.
Manly scored a brilliant try a few minutes later to level the score at 12-12 when the Dolphins let a DCE bomb bounce, which proved costly.
Hopoate and Tolu Koula did well to keep the ball alive before Luke Brooks toed it through to score.
Manly hit the front for the first time in the 28th minute when Tom Trbojevic sent a lovely long ball to Hopoate, who did well to cross in the corner. The sideline conversion from Cherry-Evans put Manly ahead 18-12.
A couple of minutes later Ethan Bullemor was in to make it 22-12.
It came from a break by Koula on tackle two deep in his own end, who sent Hopoate down the hill side touchline, with ‘Bull’ there in support.
It was a near perfect start to the second half for Manly with Hopoate claiming his second try of the match in the 43rd minute.
Again it was Turbo who provided the final pass, which came after an inspiring break on the half way line by Toafofoa Sipley.
The points continued to flow for Manly five minutes later when Ben Trbojevic scored his team’s sixth try, charging onto a ball from Brooks before sliding over to score.
Manly were up 34-12 with half an hour to play and looking full of confidence on a special day.
On the hour mark came a classy passage of play on the left edge which was finished off by Brooks to make it 40-12.
It started with Koula bouncing out of a tackle before Ben Trbojevic kept the ball alive for DCE to provide the final pass for Brooks to claim his second.
Connelly Lemuelu pegged one back for the visitors before Manly crossed for try number eight, which came after a mistake in goal by the Dolphins from the restart.
A shift to the left after the drop out saw Turbo put his foot down to split the defence and score untouched, with the conversion from wide out making it 46-18 with 15 minutes to play.
Now toying with their opponents, Manly scored their ninth try off a scrum from 65 metres out.
A kick on the first tackle by DCE saw Koula win the race for the ball which bounced kindly for the Tongan rocket to score under the posts.
The scoreboard attendant was kept extra busy in the very next set when Hopoate sent Turbo in for his double and his team’s tenth try of the afternoon.
Cherry-Evans landed his ninth conversion from 10 attempts to make it 58-18 with just under 10 minutes to play.
The Dolphins crossed for a couple of late consolations on a day which belonged to Manly and to DCE.
With the Hill bathed in sunshine the Sea Eagles celebrated a 58-30 victory keeping their slim finals hopes as their captain became just the fifth player to notch 350-games.