Manly’s stunning resurgence under rookie coach Kieran Foran rolls on with a thumping 32-4 win over the Broncos to celebrate Jake Trbojevic’s 250th in style.
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MATCH CENTRE: Sea Eagles vs Broncos teams, scores, videos, updates
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Since Foran took over from the sacked Anthony Seibold, the Sea Eagles have won five of six with the only loss a two-point thriller against Penrith.
The victory did come at a cost though with veteran forward Sio Suia Taukeiaho suffering a fractured leg in the act of scoring a try.
He was taken off on a stretcher and sent to hospital.
“These are concerning scenes,” Dan Ginnane said in commentary.
Foran said post-game that the veteran forward will go in for surgery overnight.
“He’s broken his fibia and tibia. It’s a pretty bad break,” Foran said.
While the Sea Eagles were once against excellent, the same cannot be said about their high-profile opposition.
Brisbane were awful, particularly in the second half.
Not only did they not look like scoring, their ball control would have had Michael Maguire seeing red in the coaches’ box
Brisbane made a whopping 15 errors in the second half, completing 9/19 (41%) sets.
Sea Eagles rookie halfback Joey Walsh showed his impressive debut against the top-of-the-table Panthers last week wasn’t a flash in the pan.
Walsh scored the opening try and the 19-year-old then booted a sensational 40-20 that left Broncos fullback Reece Walsh bamboozled.
In the opening month of the season, Manly looked like wooden spooners but they’re primed to make a genuine run at the top four.
Brisbane on the other hand are now 5-5 but still have a host of stars in the casualty ward, including Payne Haas, Adam Reynolds and Kotoni Staggs.
They’ve fallen to 11th on the ladder after back-to-back losses but if the premiers can survive the Origin period then they’ll be there again when the whips are cracking.
PRODIGY THE REAL DEAL
There has been plenty of noise coming out of the northern beaches for some time that schoolboy rugby superstar Joey Walsh is the real deal.
If his first two games are anything to go by then the hype is real for the teenager who many good judges are tipping to become the next big thing in the NRL.
The Brookvale hill erupted in the fourth minute on Saturday when the playmaker reeled in a high pass and then sliced through the line to score untouched.
The roar was repeated less than 10 minutes later when Walsh booted a 40-20 that no fullback in the NRL would have stopped.
The halfback still made some errors but for the second week in a row he showed more than enough to indicate he has a huge future.
“It was unreal to share the field with Jake Trbojevic on his 250th and I’m just so glad the boys fought so hard to get the win for him,” Walsh said on Fox League.
“I was lucky I got a great ball (for the try) and it was a great experience today playing in front of my family and friends.”
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FOZ’S BOYS BUCK THE TREND
The most impressive part of Manly’s run under Foran has been their defence which was once again on display against the Broncos.
The Sea Eagles haven’t conceded more than 18 points in a game under Foran in an NRL season when blowout scores are becoming the regular.
Even when they went down a man in the Brandon Wakeham was binned for a high shot, they didn’t concede and even managed to score four points.
Manly have conceded just 13.6 points per game since Foran took over and it’s that staunch defence which has been what’s fuelled the attack.
HUGE INJURY BLOW
The Manly victory was soured by a horror leg break for veteran enforcer Sio Siua Taukeiaho.
Kieran Foran confirmed the worst in the post match press conference after Taukeiaho broke his leg while scoring a try in the second half.
“Devastating for Sio Siua, it’s a pretty bad break,” Foran said.
“It is a double break of that leg, the tibia and fibula on that lower leg, so it’s not great, but he will go in for surgery tonight or first thing tomorrow morning.”
However, Foran refused to rule Taukeiaho out for the rest of the year and is hopeful he will return by the end of the season.
“I can’t give Sio Siua a big enough wrap for the job he has done in the early part of the season,” Foran said.
“He is an experienced front-rower who has been in some winning systems over at the Roosters and the experience he has given our group, particularly through our middle forwards is invaluable.
“But it’s not over for him because he is a true professional and he will get the surgery done and get himself back quicker than expected and hopefully he is back before the end of the season.”
Taukeiaho try ends in a cruel blow | 00:28
JUDICIARY WATCH
Siosiua Taukeiaho was placed on report for a crusher tackle mid-way through the first half. He has one unrelated high tackle charge in the past 12 months. He later suffered a serious lower leg injury in scoring his first try for Manly. He was stretchered from the field and sent directly to hospital.
Brandon Wakeham was sin binned for a high tackle late in the first half. He has not been charged since 2022. Wakeham had a hand in three of the five Sea Eagles tries.
STAT ATTACK (via Fox Lab)
– Five wins from six games for Kieran Foran as coach. Manly still have not conceded more than 18 points since he took charge in round five — they are the best defensive team since that stage of the season.
– Broncos’ biggest loss since losing 34-6 to Manly at Brookvale in round 9 last season.
– Manly’s equal biggest win against Broncos at Brookvale.
– Broncos first team held to single figures twice this season (0-26 v Panthers rd 1).
– Manly the second team to concede single figures twice (Penrith 3 times).
– They have now been held to single figures in their last four trips to Brookvale.
– Consecutive weeks running for less than 900 metres for the Broncos. Their second and third lowest metres on record. Manly’s third lowest metres conceded on record.
– Manly missed just nine tackles – their lowest count since 2021.
– Joey Walsh scored his first try for Manly in his first game starting at Brookvale. He also kicked a 40/20 and ran nine times for 52 metres.
Fox Lab POTM – Luke Brooks steered the Sea Eagles around the park in a quality performance. Set up a try, had a hand in three linebreaks, had a career high four offloads, ran 10 times for 67 metres and kicked 12 times for 200 metres.
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