LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
The Manly Leagues team showed true grit and fighting spirit in their Sydney Shield match against Ryde-Eastwood Hawks, ultimately falling short in a hard-fought 28-22 battle on Sunday.
Despite facing off against the top-ranked Hawks, who are bound for the finals, the Sea Eagles gave it their all until the very end at TG Milner Field.
The seventh-placed team managed to score five tries to their opponent's four, showcasing their determination and resilience on the field.
The game started with an early try against the Sea Eagles, but they quickly equalized in the 10th minute with a fantastic play by second-rower Lachlan Armstrong setting up winger Munga Baruani for a try in the corner.
This leveled the score at 4-all and pumped up the Manly Leagues team.
In a display of true grit and determination, prop Nicholas Bilsborough bulldozed through multiple defenders to score a converted try next to the posts, giving the Sea Eagles a 10-4 lead.
However, they were unable to maintain the lead and went into halftime tied at 10-all after conceding a try just before the break.
The second half started slowly for Manly Leagues, as they allowed another try in the 46th minute to fall behind 16-10.
But they quickly bounced back when a fortunate bounce from a spilled bomb landed in the hands of full-back Jake Smith, who sprinted 90 meters to score and tie the game at 16-all.
Despite their best efforts and never-say-die attitude, the Sea Eagles ultimately fell short against the Hawks.
However, they can take pride in their fighting performance and never-give-up attitude as they continue to push through the season.