LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
The Sea Eagles suffered their first defeat of the season in the Jersey Flegg Cup Round 3 against the Canberra Raiders, losing 44-18.
The Raiders got off to a strong start with Patrick Broe scoring after an overlap on the left followed by Jai Purser bursting through the right edge to extend their lead to 10-0.
Siamani Leuluai added to the Raiders' tally with a try in the northeast corner, making it 20-nil.
Broe scored his second try to further widen the gap to 26-0.
Manly managed to get on the scoreboard with Antonio Taufa scoring a try after the Raiders dropped the ball off a kick return.
The match was a challenging one for the Sea Eagles as they struggled to contain the Raiders' attack.
Manly coach Nathan Hogan acknowledged the team's areas for improvement, stating, "We let in soft tries again by not completing the sets and poor kicking options." Despite the loss, Hogan praised the efforts of some individual players, including Antonio Taufa and Recce Iredale, highlighting their strong performances in the match.
The Sea Eagles will look to regroup and learn from their mistakes as they prepare for their next game.
Hogan emphasized the need for the team to work on their defense and execution in order to bounce back from the defeat, saying, "We need to fix up the defence and defend with more urgency and aggression."
Overall, it was a challenging match for the Sea Eagles as they faced a strong Raiders team that capitalized on their opportunities.
The loss serves as a learning experience for Manly as they work towards improving their performance in future games.
Hogan reiterated the team's commitment to growth, stating, "We will learn from this and move forward to be better next week."