Canterbury Bulldogs vs Manly Sea Eagles 31-6
After a dominant performance in their NRL season opener, the Manly Sea Eagles left the Canterbury Bulldogs in disarray with a 31-6 victory. Tom Trbojevic and Daly Cherry-Evans were the stars of the game, leading their team to a convincing win. Trbojevic, who had been out since May due to a shoulder injury, scored a try and assisted in two more, while Cherry-Evans recorded a hat-trick of tries and a field goal.
Coach Cameron Ciraldo expressed disappointment with his team’s performance, calling some of their errors “unacceptable.” These included a kick out on the full by five-eighth Matt Burton, an inexplicable pass to Viliame Kikau on the last tackle resulting in a kick out on the full, and a dropped ball by Josh Addo-Carr that was scooped up by Jake Trbojevic. The sin-binning of Bulldogs halfback Kyle Flanagan with five minutes left in the first half for a professional foul also proved critical.
Ciraldo specifically pointed out the team’s lack of coordination in fifth tackle situations and other areas, but remained optimistic about their future despite the presence of several debutants. He applauded their defensive tenacity while acknowledging that there were many areas that needed improvement. The Bulldogs’ next game at AAMI Park against the formidable Melbourne Storm will be a tough test for the team.
