Sea Eagles Secure Upset Victory
The Manly Sea Eagles achieved a significant upset against Newcastle on the Knights‘ Old Boys day, securing a 44-24 win. This result helps keep Manly‘s slim finals hopes alive, though it comes as Dom Young faces a judiciary review for a tackle that led to an injury for a Sea Eagles player.
For Newcastle, the equation was straightforward: a win would have maintained their top four position and home semi-final aspirations. A loss, however, complicates their path significantly. Both teams saw key players return for this crucial match, with Bradman Best and Jacob Saifiti rejoining Newcastle‘s lineup, and Tom Trbojevic making his return for the Sea Eagles.
Despite Newcastle entering the game as strong favourites, Manly was the first to score. A one-armed offload from Lehi Hopoate allowed makeshift five-eighth Clayton Faulalo to break through the line, step past Ponga, and run 50 metres for an early try. Faulalo, 26 years old, was briefly forced off the field for a HIA, which left Manly‘s left edge vulnerable. This opening was exploited by Fletcher Hunt, who scored to level the scores for Newcastle.
Key Moments and Player Performances
The game saw moments where Newcastle appeared to gain momentum, with both wingers scoring within minutes of each other. Greg Marzhew capitalised on a Sharpe grubber, and Young scored down the right touchline. A penalty goal extended the Knights‘ lead to 12 points. However, a dropped ball from Jermaine McEwen in the subsequent set shifted momentum back to the Sea Eagles.
A desperate tackle from Young brought Tolu Koula down just short of the line. The returning Faulalo then created an opportunity for Caleb Navale to score his second career try, a notable achievement for the young forward who had torn his ACL in February. The Bunker quickly reviewed Young‘s tackle on Koula, determining it to be a hip-drop tackle. This resulted in Young being sent to the sin bin and ruling Koula out for at least the remainder of the match with a reported syndesmosis injury.
The injury to Koula brought Josh Feledy, a former Tiger, into the game at left centre. Feledy made an immediate impact, scoring two tries in three minutes, giving Manly a surprising 24-18 lead at halftime. His only prior NRL try was in the latter part of the 2024 season, meaning he tripled his career tally in a short span with back-to-back barge over tries. Even after the halftime break, Feledy continued his strong performance, completing his hat-trick following a link-up with Trbojevic.
A linebreak by Ben Trbojevic, who then grubbered ahead for his brother Tom, led to Feledy crashing over from dummy-half. Reuben Garrick also added to Manly‘s score, bursting onto an Olakauatu short-ball, which extended the lead to 34-18. Despite Haumole‘s short passing ability, McEwen also set up Hunt for his second try. However, this shift in momentum was brief, as the Sea Eagles scored again through Jason Saab, followed by Lehi Hopoate crossing after a falcon off his own head.
Implications for Both Teams
The loss effectively ends Newcastle‘s top four ambitions and leaves their pursuit of a home final in jeopardy, with South Sydney potentially moving ahead of them. This defeat marks the end of Newcastle‘s three-game winning streak and saw them concede their equal most points this season, the sixth time they have conceded 38 points or more. Manly‘s victory, their first against the Knights in their last six encounters, snaps a six-game losing streak and provides much-needed relief after a challenging post-Origin period. The 44 points scored by Manly is their highest against Newcastle since 2004.
Dom Young faces an anxious wait for the judiciary’s decision regarding his hip-drop tackle on Tolu Koula. Given Koula‘s syndesmosis injury and Newcastle‘s final bye in Round 27, any suspension longer than one game would prevent Young from participating in a finals match. Young has not received a single charge in 2026, meaning a Grade 3 charge would be required to rule him out of a finals game.
The performances of Clayton Faulalo and Josh Feledy have put them forward as strong candidates for centre positions next season, especially with Reuben Garrick set to join the Roosters. Faulalo has shown versatility throughout 2026, playing at fullback, wing, centre, and five-eighth. Newcastle‘s tendency to lose focus after strong periods is a concern for Justin Holbrook and his team as they approach September, with only one regular season game remaining. The club will need a strong 80-minute performance against the Warriors next weekend to boost their confidence for the finals, having won only one post-season game in the last 12 years.
Several players were placed on report during the match. Tyson Frizell was reported for a hip-drop tackle on Tom Trbojevic just before halftime. Jermaine McEwen was reported for a high tackle, having previously been charged twice in Round 22. Brandon Wakeham was also placed on report for a high tackle in the first half, having been suspended for a week due to a Grade 2 high tackle in Round 10.
Source: foxsports.com.au
