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Knock-On Effect NSW Cup: Young Dragons hold off Manly

A young Dragons outfit held off the Sea Eagles 30-22 at 4 Pines Park on Sunday afternoon to secure their ninth win from their past 10 Knock-On Effect NSW Cup outings.

A growing, club-wide casualty ward saw Willie Talau forced to rely on his depth with the side featuring 11 Jersey Flegg eligible players including four players called up for competition debuts – Tyler Peckham-Harris, Lyric Craft-Te Moananui, Jesse Williams and Matthew Alhazim.

Peckham-Harris, Craft-Te Moananui, and Williams became the ninth, 10th, and 11th members of St George’s 2024 SG Ball premiership winning squad – a side also coached by Talau – to make the leap up to The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup.

Their inexperience was hardly a factor early with the visiting side leaping out to a 22-0 advantage as the pack laid a strong platform through the middle and gave the class of the halves and outside backs an opportunity to shine.

Manly clicked into gear in the second stanza as the lead evaporated down to six but the Red V withstood the storm to nab a key pair of competition points.

The Dragons manufactured a pearler to nab the afternoon’s first points with Lachlan Ilias fashioning a perfect banana kick to halves partner Jonah Glover who reeled it in on the full to touch the ball down behind the posts.

Glover converted his own try to make it 6-0 the way of the visitors.

The Dragons’ defensive resolve was tested over the next period of the match but found a way to hold Manly at bay and hang onto the lead.

Ilias went close to laying on a second for Glover mid-way through the opening forty with a deft grubber only for the Manly cover defenders to knock the ball free from the latter’s grip.

Craft-Te Moananui became a Knock-On Effect NSW Cup try-scorer shortly after with a superb, floating pass courtesy of Glover sending the winger over untouched in the right corner to make it 12-0.

Fellow debutant Williams joined his wing partner in the tries column moments later thanks to some sharp hands on his inside from Hayden Buchanan as the scoreline grew out to 16-0 a half-hour in.

Haele Finau burrowed his way over to score off the back of a strong Jacob Halangahu carry and improve the Red V’s lead out to 22 points prior to half-time.

Williams went close to securing a first-half double on the end of a sideline-to-sideline shift only for the ball to slip out of his grasp at the last moment.

Manly snatched a much needed try on the stroke of half-time through Semisi Kioa who was the beneficiary of a messy mid-air contest.

The hosts threatened to eat further into the lead early in the second half after halfback Joey Walsh burst through only to be called back for an obstruction.

They were able to find the next try however again through Kioa who stormed through to pounce on a Walsh grubber in the left corner.

Manly continued their furious fightback moments later with Caleb Navale crashing over through some rather meagre Dragons defence to cut the deficit back to just six.

Buchanan produced a strong hit to win his side some favourable field position on the other side of the hour mark and Charlie Heidke stepped up to halt Manly’s momentum.

The teenage centre skied to swallow a pinpoint, cross-field kick off the boot of Ilias and slam it down to the right of the sticks as the lead increased back out to a dozen.

Knock-On Effect NSW Cup Highlights: Round 18 v Sea Eagles

The hosts sent the next kick-off sailing out on the full to gift the Red V another attacking chance with a stripping penalty handing Glover an opportunity to knock over an easy penalty goal and push the lead out to 14.

Jacob Webster was binned for the Dragons as time ticked away but Manly were unable to capitalise off it with Raymond Tuaimalo Vaega diving over off a forward pass.

Clayton Faulalo found a late try for the hosts to cut it back to 30-22 but time ultimately ran out with the Red V holding on for a nice win in enemy territory.

Acknowledgement of Country

St George Illawarra Dragons respect and honour the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders peoples, where our games are played, our programs are conducted and in the communities we support.

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