Parramatta Eels v Manly Sea Eagles
Round 23, 2011
Parramatta Stadium
An opportunistic Steve Matai try double spearheaded the Sea Eagles to a 26-10 victory at Parramatta Stadium in Round 23 last year.
Round 23, 2011
Parramatta Stadium
An opportunistic Steve Matai try double spearheaded the Sea Eagles to a 26-10 victory at Parramatta Stadium in Round 23 last year.
The Eels took the early lead when Chris Hicks crossed in the 18th minute, scooping up a wayward pass from Steve Matai out of dummy-half, before Jamie Lyon and Daly Cherry-Evans combined down the right edge for the No.7 to score. The Eels went to the sheds up 14-6 courtesy of a Ryan Morgan try in the left corner after a slick backline sweep.
But nine errors and a woeful 58 per cent completion rate in the second half handed the momentum to the Sea Eagles.
Matai scored his double inside the first 10 minutes of the second stanza; his first came when he swooped on an errant pass from dummy-half Jarryd Hayne just a few metres out from his goal line, and his second came when he pounced following a series of Chris Hicks fumbles fielding a kick near his try line.
A showcase of rugby league it wasn’t, and fans will be hoping for better in this return clash.
