Round 22 Manly Sea Eagles v Sydney Roosters

SUNDAY

Manly Sea Eagles v Sydney Roosters at Brookvale Oval, 3:00pm

SEA EAGLES: Brett Stewart, Michael Oldfield, Jamie Lyon (capt), Steve Matai, William Hopoate, Kieran Foran, Daly Cherry-Evans, Jason King (capt), Matt Ballin, Brent Kite Jared, Anthony Watmough, Joe Galuvao, Glenn Stewart. Interchange: Tony Williams, Jamie Buhrer, Shane Rodney, George Rose, Vic Mauro, Darcy Lussick (two to be omitted).

ROOSTERS: Anthony Minichiello, Sam Perrett, Joseph Leilua, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Phil Graham, Todd Carney, Mitchell Pearce, Jason Ryles, Jake Friend, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Braith Anasta (capt), Aidan Guerra, Nate Myles. Interchange: Anthony Mitchell, Mose Masoe, Brad Takairangi, Lama Tasi.

Manly flog Roosters, injured King at risk

By David Beniuk AAP Sun, Aug 07, 2011 - 7:01 PM


Manly are resigned to losing inspirational co-captain Jason King for the rest of their NRL campaign, with their 36-8 thrashing of the Sydney Roosters coming at a massive cost.

The cornerstone of the Sea Eagles' bruising pack, King will have scans on a pectoral muscle injury and the club will learn the full extent of the problem on Monday.

The NSW State of Origin representative left the field after 20 minutes of the Brookvale Oval clash and officials said he was shattered after learning he would not be a part of Manly's tilt at the premiership.

"It doesn't look too good," coach Des Hasler said. "We'll know more tomorrow after the scan.

"They're pretty scary, those sorts of injuries.

"It would be a real shame (if he was ruled out for the season).

"He's been one of our most consistent but somebody else will have to step in and do the job."

The Sea Eagles were close to full strength a month out from the play-offs, and Hasler sought to dispel concerns over two-try duo Will Hopoate (hamstring) and Steve Matai (neck), who also appeared to suffer injuries in the eight tries to two mauling.

Hopoate's leg was iced when he left the field late in the match, while Matai lay on the turf for several minutes in the dying stages of the game before exiting the field clutching his neck.

Hasler described Hopoate's benching as precautionary, while key forwards Anthony Watmough and Glenn Stewart were taken off for a rest when the match was in the bag.

King's front row partner Brent Kite said the rugby league public were only just starting to realise what a massive presence he is for the Sea Eagles, who firmed up second spot behind Melbourne with Sunday's ruthlessly-efficient win.

"Perception's a big thing and him making rep teams, he's just started to do that in the last couple of years," Kite said.

"He's a very tough guy and maybe, as a result, he picks up these extra little injuries at the wrong time.

"You both get a stat for a tackle but Kingy's dead-set rattled the other bloke."

Kite said he and less-heralded forwards like George Rose and Tony Williams were aware they would need to step up.

"We've missed Kingy one or two games this year and, as a group, we've been aware the intensity that he does bring can be missed if we're not picking up the slack," Kite said.

It was a case of four footy seasons in one day as lightning and sunshine took turns to light up Brookvale but it was the Sea Eagles who shone brightest in front of 13,745 fans.

They led 12-0 at halftime and the damage would have been worse for the Roosters if Jamie Lyon had managed better than two from eight with the boot.

"They settled into a routine," Roosters coach Brian Smith said.

"Their precision and their execution and the quality of their defence was way too good for us."

Manly can win NRL comp: Anasta

By David Beniuk AAP Sun, Aug 07, 2011 - 8:19 PM


Sydney Roosters skipper Braith Anasta declared Manly could win the NRL premiership after the Sea Eagles smashed his side with a near flawless display at Brookvale Oval on Sunday.

Manly ran in eight tries to two in a 36-8 mauling that would have been much worse for the Roosters if Jamie Lyon had kicked better than his two from eight.

The Sea Eagles rebounded from last weekend's surprising loss to the in-form Wests Tigers in the most clinical way, disposing of a Roosters outfit whose only end of season battle will be to avoid the wooden spoon.

Des Hasler's side firmed up second position on the ladder, four points behind Melbourne, to be in the box seat for a double chance in the play-offs.

Asked if the Sea Eagles could go all the way, Anasta didn't hesitate.

"Definitely. There is no reason why they can't," he said.

"They were just too good for us.

"They dominated us with the ball and without it."

With Manly still to play the Storm, and Melbourne also to meet desperate premiers St George Illawarra, the minor premiership is not out of the question for the Sea Eagles.

Hasler, though, was keen to hose down any expectation, particularly after learning the news that co-captain Jason King's season was over with a pectoral muscle injury.

"It's about us maintaining our game," he said. "You can't focus on the minor premiership.

"The rest will take care of itself. It's out of our control.

"We just want to play well, finish well and continue with our momentum."

The battle for top-four positions and a home final in week one will be on in earnest over the next month with third-placed Brisbane, fourth-placed North Queensland and the fifth-placed Dragons the most likely to fight out the bottom two spots.

The defending premiers have lost three in a row but will be favoured to beat the Roosters in Wollongong next Sunday and can leapfrog the Cowboys into fourth if the Broncos win Friday night's Queensland derby in captain Darren Lockyer's record-breaking 350th game.

Seventh-placed Newcastle continue to remind the more fancied sides of their credentials, thrashing a lowly opponent for the second straight week with a 40-8 victory over Canberra.

The X-factor is the eighth-placed Tigers, who have the softest run home of the top-eight sides and could conceivably win all four games.

They will have to do so without brilliant centre Chris Lawrence, who the club confirmed will be sidelined for four to five weeks after an MRI scan revealed a grade two hamstring tear suffered in Friday night's 16-14 win over the Dragons, their fourth straight.

Outside the eight, Canterbury and South Sydney are the only sides realistically challenging, with the Rabbitohs able to join the Bulldogs four points adrift with a win over Parramatta at ANZ Stadium on Monday night.