Match Details
Match Date	6th Jun, 2014
Opponent	Manly
Result	Loss 10-32
Coach	Des Hasler
Captain	Michael Ennis
Venue	Brookvale Oval
Crowd	9,235
Referee	Gerard Sutton Gavin Morris

A dynamic 10-minute spell before halftime from Daly Cherry-Evans inspired Manly to a 32-10 win over Canterbury on Friday night, but a knee injury threatens to derail the halfback’s Origin ambitions after he limped from the field early in the second half.

Cherry-Evans produced one the most scintillating cameos seen this year against the table-topping Bulldogs, laying on three tries in the first half at Brookvale Oval, after hobbling his way through the opening term with a left knee injury, despite coming into the game with strapping on his right knee.

He jarred his left knee when he was tackled by Sam Kasiano around the legs as he kicked the ball four minutes after half-time and was assisted from the field. Kasiano was placed on report, but the repercussions could be dire for a Queensland side that had earmarked Cherry-Evans to fill the No.7 jersey vacated by Cooper Cronk.

‘‘[The tackle] was illegal; it’ll get dealt with,’’ Manly coach Geoff Toovey said after the game.

‘‘He [Cherry-Evans] hasn’t done any more damage. He has just inflamed it. It’s a bit sorer than what it was prematch. Hopefully it’ll settle down in the next few days and he’ll be right to play. Our physios have assessed it – there’s not more damage.’’

Canterbury coach Des Hasler not surprisingly saw the tackle differently.

‘‘I thought [the tackle] was OK,’’ Hasler said. ‘‘There was nothing vicious or dangerous about it. He was making a tackle. [Kasiano] started around his waist, both arms went around. It shouldn’t be a worry for him.’’

Manly fell behind early after Mitch Brown finished a nice catch-and-pass from centre Tim Lafai to score in the 17th minute. Lafai looked the most damaging for the Bulldogs as he made the switch to his preferred left centre.

But it was Cherry-Evans who stole the show on a heavy track in front of 9,235 people. Having only run for the first time since Origin on Thursday, he looked out of sorts to begin the game. But when he regathered his own grubber kick to send Steve Matai in for a try in the 29th minute, he sparked the home side to life. He laid on two more tries within eight minutes to give Manly an 18-6 half-time lead.

‘‘It’s all right; it’s a bit sore at the moment,’’ Cherry-Evans said after the game about his knee.

‘‘It took a bit of a bump. A think a bit of recovery and a few days it’ll come good,’’ he told 2GB.

‘‘It was good to see us execute a game plan. Last week we were off the mark. We knew it was going to be won or lost in the middle of the field. Our boys muscled up.’’

Cherry-Evans, who was one of five Origin players on the field, forced a repeat set before Manly’s next try to Jesse Sene-Lefao.

His next onslaught was sheer brilliance. Taking the line on for one of the few times in the first half, Cherry-Evans stuck his nose through the Bulldogs defence before offloading to Jamie Lyon, who gave a pass to Peta Hiku who was able to race away to score three minutes before the half-time break.

Kieran Foran stepped up in Cherry-Evans’ absence, laying on two tries with his boot, both to fullback Brett Stewart.

Canterbury’s only second-half points came from a Reynolds cross-field kick for Chase Stanley to score.

Blues back-rower Anthony Watmough looked untroubled as he played about 65 minutes after rupturing his bicep in Origin, while NSW wing hopeful Jorge Taufua was placed on report for a high shot after he slid into a tackle on Bulldogs fullback Sam Perrett.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

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