Manly-Warringah became the first side to qualify for the NRL grand final with a methodical 26-14 win over Brisbane in front of 31,894 at the Sydney Football Stadium on Friday night.

The men from Sydney’s northern peninsula made an ideal start in the windy conditions. The Eagles received two early penalties to carry them into the opposition twenty for hooker Matt Ballin to crash over from dummy half after only four minutes. Jamie Lyon’s conversion put Manly in front 6-0.

Manly raced to a 16-0 lead through tries to Will Hopoate (10^th minute) and Brett Stewart (20^th minute). Stewart capitalised on a wonderful delayed pass from half-back Daly Cherry-Evans to touch down in a handy position for Lyon to convert.

Jharal Yow Yeh kept the Broncos in some contention when he scored a classic winger’s try close to half-time. The Queensland and Australian rep made an athletic leap to claim a cross-kick from Matt Gillett to send the sides to the break with Manly ahead 16-4.

Hopoate claimed his second try early in the second stanza when he dived over in the corner, again after some great lead-up from Lyon and Cherry-Evans.

Even sixteen points down the Broncos were not going away. Peter Wallace burst on to a clever offload from Corey Parker to touch down under the posts. Parker converted, leaving Manly a slightly uneasy ten points in front.

Brisbane’s hopes, however, were dashed shortly thereafter when Manly’s Kieran Foran trailed a midfield bomb and wrenched the ball from the grasp of fullback Gerard Beale to score. Lyon’s conversion put the Sea Eagles in front 26-10 and effectively into next Sunday’s premiership decider.

The match was played at a very swift tempo in the sometimes blustery conditions. The Eagles played solid, mistake-free football on the back of the platform laid by their forwards. Cherry-Evans performed with the aplomb of a ten-season veteran and his judicious kicking troubled the Broncos. Manly’s Tony Williams and Steve Matai were both placed on report and the duo will face a few anxious moments in the first days of grand final week.

Sadly, with this result the curtain has dropped on the club career of Bronco immortal-to-be named Darren Lockyer. Locky’s cheekbone injury kept him out of the elimination final. It is doubtful though if even his inspirational presence could have made any difference to the final scoreline, with Manly leading from the fourth minute and always seeming in control.

Manly-Warringah 26 (W Hopoate 2, K Foran, M Ballin, B Stewart tries; J Lyon 3 goals) def Brisbane 14 (J Yow Yeh, P Wallace, D Copley tries; C Parker goal).

Sydney Football Stadium 23 September 2011

Crowd 31,894

Under a full moon at Skilled Park, the Manly Sea Eagles have defeated the Gold Coast Titans 16-12 last night.

The loss will ensure the Gold Coast will remain in 15^th position on the NRL ladder with their record this season a very dismal 3-7 win-loss.

Dubbed “The WolfMan” by the fans, Sea Eagles David Williams managed to score the first try for Manly within the first minute in what can only be described as a horror start to the game by the Gold Coast.  Wolfman scored on the back end of penalty that was conceded by Lock Ashley Harrison in the very first set of the game for the Titans.

It was yet another error from the Gold Coast that gave the Sea Eagles their second score of the game when Titans Captain Scott Prince dropped the ball allowing for Michael Robertson to cross the line and extend the lead for the visiting side.

In the 33^rd minute, Titans Scott Prince showed a moment of brilliance when he weaved through the Sea Eagles defence for a try making the scoreboard 10-6 in favour of the Sea Eagles.

Following a second error from the Gold Coast in the 54^th minute, Robertson took his try count to two and the visitors jumped out to a 16-6 lead.

In the dying minutes of the game, the Titans gave the 12,360 fans in attendance a faint glimmer of hope when Luke Bailey and Esi Tonga combined for a try in the left corner for the Titans. Prince converted easily and the game was now 16-12.

Manly however were too strong and managed to hold on to the lead. The Gold Coast fans now have to make a choice between two teams; the horrendous AFL Suns, or the lacklustre Titans? At least they have the weather to keep them happy.

Manly Sea Eagles 16
Tries: Robertson 2, Williams
Goals: Cherry-Evans 2

Gold Coast Titans 12
Tries: Prince, Tonga
Goals: Prince 2