NRL 2025: Cronulla Sharks lead, lose lead and surge again in 30-14 win over Manly Sea Eagles
Yet another Sea Eagles mistake followed to start the second half. And then the locals produced one of the tries of the season.
A dropped ball from Trindall was latched onto by Haumole Olakau'atu on his own 10-metre line before he took off up-field and grubbered on the first tackle of the set.
Jason Saab and Reuben Garrick managed to make their passes stick at full flight, Koula kept up with them and scored, and just like that, Manly were back.
When Koula stepped back against the grain for his second, and Garrick knocked over a 61st-minute penalty goal, it was level pegging once more, and the first half was a distant memory.
Following the lead of the Gold Coast, South Sydney, Canterbury, St George Illawarra and North Queensland in mowing down double-figure leads this weekend (though the Dragons lost by a point), Manly were back.
But just as suddenly, so were Cronulla. Their late blitz leaves them in outright fifth on the ladder, with clear skies ahead. Or at least, eight of their next 14 games at home, along with three byes.
The Sharks have earned a reprieve given their travels have taken them from Las Vegas to Townsville, then Canberra and Perth, Newcastle and Brisbane. They host Melbourne next week.
Manly head to North Queensland with one half of footy to work with at least. The other is best razed from memory.
Michael Chammas and Andrew 'Joey' Johns dissect the upcoming NRL round, plus the latest footy news, results and analysis. Sign up for the Sin Bin newsletter.
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The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Payten threatens axe on 'bullied' Cowboys
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But their biggest issue has been a woeful completion rate through that period, with Payten labelling them the NRL's worst team for errors out of their own end. Adding to that is the fact the Cowboys have completed at above 75 per cent just twice in their past seven games. Asked after the loss to the Roosters whether changes were possible, Payten indicated it was on his mind. "We'll be considering it, definitely, off the back of the past few weeks," he said. "We'll have a look at what is underneath and then reassess and get to work." Payten also refused to use the Origin period as an excuse, with the Cowboys having four players coming in and out of camp in the past month. "It's not an excuse, far from it," Payten said. "Not a contributing factor one little bit. "You look at some other teams across the competition (who) have handled it perfectly and we have done so in the past. So it's irrelevant. "It's disappointing, and far from good enough. "We got bullied, it was men against boys there for a little bit and that's concerning." Payten's threat came as Dearden also made a scathing assessment of his own performance, which included conceding an intercept pass for a Mark Nawaqanitawase try. The Cowboys had balls hitting the ground in attack, while Dearden was responsible for five missed tackles. "The body felt good, I was ready to go," Dearden said of backing up from Origin. "I'm really disappointed in my performance. I thought I was horrible tonight." Todd Payten has warned he could swing the axe after admitting North Queensland were bullied by the Sydney Roosters as they fell to a second straight thrashing. Payten described the Cowboys' 42-8 loss as looking like boys against men at times, as his team conceding four tries in the space of 10 minutes in the second half. Halfback Tom Dearden also conceded he was "horrible", backing up four days after winning his first State of Origin game wearing the Queensland No.7 jersey. Semi-finalists last year, the Cowboys are now in an almighty rut. Payten's men have won just one match since Magic Round, dropping five and drawing one to Penrith. They have let in an average of 36 points a game through that period, including 100 points alone in the past fortnight to the Dolphins and Cowboys. Questions also remain around the halves pairing of Dearden and Jaxon Purdue, with the latter moved from centre to five-eighth a month ago. But their biggest issue has been a woeful completion rate through that period, with Payten labelling them the NRL's worst team for errors out of their own end. Adding to that is the fact the Cowboys have completed at above 75 per cent just twice in their past seven games. Asked after the loss to the Roosters whether changes were possible, Payten indicated it was on his mind. "We'll be considering it, definitely, off the back of the past few weeks," he said. "We'll have a look at what is underneath and then reassess and get to work." Payten also refused to use the Origin period as an excuse, with the Cowboys having four players coming in and out of camp in the past month. "It's not an excuse, far from it," Payten said. "Not a contributing factor one little bit. "You look at some other teams across the competition (who) have handled it perfectly and we have done so in the past. So it's irrelevant. "It's disappointing, and far from good enough. "We got bullied, it was men against boys there for a little bit and that's concerning." Payten's threat came as Dearden also made a scathing assessment of his own performance, which included conceding an intercept pass for a Mark Nawaqanitawase try. The Cowboys had balls hitting the ground in attack, while Dearden was responsible for five missed tackles. "The body felt good, I was ready to go," Dearden said of backing up from Origin. "I'm really disappointed in my performance. I thought I was horrible tonight." Todd Payten has warned he could swing the axe after admitting North Queensland were bullied by the Sydney Roosters as they fell to a second straight thrashing. Payten described the Cowboys' 42-8 loss as looking like boys against men at times, as his team conceding four tries in the space of 10 minutes in the second half. Halfback Tom Dearden also conceded he was "horrible", backing up four days after winning his first State of Origin game wearing the Queensland No.7 jersey. Semi-finalists last year, the Cowboys are now in an almighty rut. Payten's men have won just one match since Magic Round, dropping five and drawing one to Penrith. They have let in an average of 36 points a game through that period, including 100 points alone in the past fortnight to the Dolphins and Cowboys. Questions also remain around the halves pairing of Dearden and Jaxon Purdue, with the latter moved from centre to five-eighth a month ago. But their biggest issue has been a woeful completion rate through that period, with Payten labelling them the NRL's worst team for errors out of their own end. Adding to that is the fact the Cowboys have completed at above 75 per cent just twice in their past seven games. Asked after the loss to the Roosters whether changes were possible, Payten indicated it was on his mind. "We'll be considering it, definitely, off the back of the past few weeks," he said. "We'll have a look at what is underneath and then reassess and get to work." Payten also refused to use the Origin period as an excuse, with the Cowboys having four players coming in and out of camp in the past month. "It's not an excuse, far from it," Payten said. "Not a contributing factor one little bit. "You look at some other teams across the competition (who) have handled it perfectly and we have done so in the past. So it's irrelevant. "It's disappointing, and far from good enough. "We got bullied, it was men against boys there for a little bit and that's concerning." Payten's threat came as Dearden also made a scathing assessment of his own performance, which included conceding an intercept pass for a Mark Nawaqanitawase try. The Cowboys had balls hitting the ground in attack, while Dearden was responsible for five missed tackles. "The body felt good, I was ready to go," Dearden said of backing up from Origin. "I'm really disappointed in my performance. I thought I was horrible tonight."
The Age
a day ago
- The Age
‘The boys have his back': Manly star backs under-siege Seibold
One of the players in the Manly leadership group has broken his silence over the future of coach Anthony Seibold, declaring: 'The boys have his back, and he's got ours.' Haumole Olakau'atu was one of several Sea Eagles players to give up a rare free weekend to support the club's NSW Cup side at Accor Stadium on Saturday evening. Several NRL players, including Jason Saab and Lachie Croker, had been sent back to reserve grade by Seibold given first grade had the bye. The sight of Olakau'atu and the Trbojevic brothers – Tom, Jake and Ben – as well as Luke Brooks, Lehi Hopoate, Luke Brooks and other players in the stands was a clear indication there was no division in the playing ranks. This masthead revealed during the week pressure was mounting on Seibold to keep his job after losses to the Eels, Titans and Knights in the past month. Seibold is contracted until the end of 2027, with Sea Eagles' CEO Tony Mestrov admitting: 'At the moment, Seibs is safe at this point; Seibs understands this as well as I do, it's all about winning games. Seibs is safe at this point.' Olakau'atu, who joined Tom and Jake and Daly Cherry-Evans in the leadership group over the summer, was backing Seibold to turn the club's fortunes around. 'I'm not worried about all that stuff,' Olakau'atu said.
Sydney Morning Herald
a day ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘The boys have his back': Manly star backs under-siege Seibold
One of the players in the Manly leadership group has broken his silence over the future of coach Anthony Seibold, declaring: 'The boys have his back, and he's got ours.' Haumole Olakau'atu was one of several Sea Eagles players to give up a rare free weekend to support the club's NSW Cup side at Accor Stadium on Saturday evening. Several NRL players, including Jason Saab and Lachie Croker, had been sent back to reserve grade by Seibold given first grade had the bye. The sight of Olakau'atu and the Trbojevic brothers – Tom, Jake and Ben – as well as Luke Brooks, Lehi Hopoate, Luke Brooks and other players in the stands was a clear indication there was no division in the playing ranks. This masthead revealed during the week pressure was mounting on Seibold to keep his job after losses to the Eels, Titans and Knights in the past month. Seibold is contracted until the end of 2027, with Sea Eagles' CEO Tony Mestrov admitting: 'At the moment, Seibs is safe at this point; Seibs understands this as well as I do, it's all about winning games. Seibs is safe at this point.' Olakau'atu, who joined Tom and Jake and Daly Cherry-Evans in the leadership group over the summer, was backing Seibold to turn the club's fortunes around. 'I'm not worried about all that stuff,' Olakau'atu said.
