The Manly Sea Eagles have shown that last week's slip-up against the Storm was a one-off after a dominant win over the Sydney Roosters 42-6.
The usual suspects played their brand of football for Manly, but the real game-breakers were their halves.
Daly Cherry-Evens and Kieren Foran were outstanding in the big win, both getting over the line for a try.
Foran had 73 run metres and made a pivotal line-break for a key try. The five-eighth also assisted a Tom Trbojevic try that highlighted his class.
Five-Eighth
Try Assists
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The experience Foran has from his 236 NRL games, as well as his time playing for the Eels, Warriors and Bulldogs has enabled such an important performance from the veteran.
Cherry-Evens's dazzling performance was highlighted by a stunning try, being the first receiver off of the scrum feed and stepping off his left foot to score under the posts.
The try showed that the 32-year-old is still potent near the try line. He kicked for over 500 metres and constantly put Manly in an ideal field position.
It was a classic Cherry-Evans performance that we have seen so many times before.
His experience combined with Foran's was huge to the team advancing to the next Friday's preliminary final against the Rabbitohs.
Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran played together for the first time over a decade ago.
They're still scoring tries for Manly in a final.#NRLManlyRoosters #ManlyForever pic.twitter.com/iBb7C94mAn
— bet365 AUS (@bet365_aus) September 17, 2021
Although the two-try performance from Trbojevic was of course a highlight, the clinical game from the Manly halves allowed for backs like 'Turbo' to thrive.
If Manly are to beat teams like the Melbourne Storm and the Penrith Panthers, then experience will be highly depended on.
The Manly veterans know how to win games of football and put their exciting young teammates in positions to have a great impact on the game, moving around the field with conviction.
Foran and Cherry-Evens are the most underrated playmaking pair in the finals, with their wealth of experience and knowledge of the game making them a dangerous matchup for any opponent.
