Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles v. St George Dragons
(game summary)
1st Half
Sea Eagles defending the southern end of the Sydney Football Stadium. Dragons lock Wayne Bartrim made a short kick off taken by Steve Menzies.
3rd min.
Sea Eagles prop "Cement" Gillespie made a huge jolting tackle on Dragons forward Kevin Campion and dispossessed him of the ball.
5th min.
Centre Innes beats winger Hopoate in winning the chase to ground skipper Toovey's grubber kick into Saints' in-goal. Score, 4 - 0. Ridge added another 2 points after converting from the sideline, making it 6 - 0.
8th min.
Sea Eagles infringement in the play-the-ball gave St George a penalty right in front of the goal post but they forego the gift 2 points by taking the tap option instead.
11th min.
Second-rower Gartner makes a huge line break with 3 Saints players falling off tackles on him.
14th min.
Hopoate made a trademark charge from a 20m tap and took 5 Saints players to halt his run.
15th min.
Saints halfback Noel Goldthorpe conceded a penalty right in front of their goalpost after committing a head high tackle on Gartner. Ridge takes the kick and extends the lead to 8 - 0.
St George sends in forward replacements Lance Thompson and David Barnhill for Scott Gourley and Kevin Campion (head cut). "Beefa" Tierney came off the interchange bench to replace Gillespie.
19th min.
Veteran five-eight "Nappa" Lyons finally gets on the field and replaced prop Mark Carroll to the cheers of Sea Eagles fans. Coach Fulton has been using 6 running forwards with Toovey in dummy half.
28th min.
Saints Nathan Brown replaces fellow hooker Jeff Hardy.
37th min.
Utility forward Cunningham was penalised for illegally stripping the ball from Saints prop, Troy Stone. Bartrim takes the penalty goal and altered the score to 8 - 2.
38-39th min.
Ridge made a spectacular short kick-off and regathered, catching the Dragons unaware. Nathan Brown grabs Ridge's collar with one hand but Ridge got up and ran when Brown was expecting him to stop and play the ball. Referee David Manson rules Brown did not complete the tackle.
Kosef passes the ball to try-scoring-machine Menzies who storms his way through Saints' Lance Thompson, Dean Raper, Goldthorpe and Bartrim for a 4 pointer, injuring his thigh. Ridge converts for another 2 points.
40th min (Half Time)
In the first half, Saints made only one line break compared to Manly's 5. Saints also missed 15 tackles compared to Manly's 3.
2nd Half (Score at halftime, 14 - 2)
41st min.
Saints second-rower David Barnhill was caught on the sixth tackle in the second half's first set of six and turned over possession.
45th min.
Innes worked his way closer to Saints' goalpost for a Sea Eagles field goal. Ridge missed the shot.
49-50th min.
Saints replacement forward Colin Ward comes on.
Ridge goes down in pain with a knee injury.
51st min.
Fullback Ridge limped off and replaced by Craig Hancock.
52nd min.
Gartner picks up a loose ball from Bartrim on Saints' 2nd tackle count.
53rd min.
Danny Moore scores a try from a Terry Hill pass after Hill drew Saints defenders, Adrian Brunker and Nick Zisti. "Postie" Innes converts from 5m off the sideline. Sea Eagles lead Dragons, 20 - 2.
57th min.
"Beaver" Menzies finally hobbled off the field and replaced by Des Hasler.
58th min.
Lyons diffuses a Goldthorpe bomb in heavy traffic.
60th min.
Dragons winger Zisti scores a try from a Bartrim cut-out pass. Bartrim converts from the sidelines, 20 - 8.
64th min.
Ridge's field goal attempt was charged down. Carroll knocks on while attempting to pick up the loose ball just inches from the try-line.
70th min.
Serdaris makes another bust via dummy-half going through second-rower Scott Gourley, Ward, and halfback Goldthorpe. Fullback Raper desperately hangs on from behind and centre Mark Bell completes the tackle.
71st min.
Kosef works up the middle for another Ridge unsuccessful field goal attempt foiled by Saints defenders.
80th min.
Lyons catches the ball from Goldthorpe's kick and held on to take the last tackle. Referee Manson blows the full-time whistle. Sea Eagles wins, 20 - 8.
(game summary)
1st Half
Sea Eagles defending the southern end of the Sydney Football Stadium. Dragons lock Wayne Bartrim made a short kick off taken by Steve Menzies.
3rd min.
Sea Eagles prop "Cement" Gillespie made a huge jolting tackle on Dragons forward Kevin Campion and dispossessed him of the ball.
5th min.
Centre Innes beats winger Hopoate in winning the chase to ground skipper Toovey's grubber kick into Saints' in-goal. Score, 4 - 0. Ridge added another 2 points after converting from the sideline, making it 6 - 0.
8th min.
Sea Eagles infringement in the play-the-ball gave St George a penalty right in front of the goal post but they forego the gift 2 points by taking the tap option instead.
11th min.
Second-rower Gartner makes a huge line break with 3 Saints players falling off tackles on him.
14th min.
Hopoate made a trademark charge from a 20m tap and took 5 Saints players to halt his run.
15th min.
Saints halfback Noel Goldthorpe conceded a penalty right in front of their goalpost after committing a head high tackle on Gartner. Ridge takes the kick and extends the lead to 8 - 0.
St George sends in forward replacements Lance Thompson and David Barnhill for Scott Gourley and Kevin Campion (head cut). "Beefa" Tierney came off the interchange bench to replace Gillespie.
19th min.
Veteran five-eight "Nappa" Lyons finally gets on the field and replaced prop Mark Carroll to the cheers of Sea Eagles fans. Coach Fulton has been using 6 running forwards with Toovey in dummy half.
28th min.
Saints Nathan Brown replaces fellow hooker Jeff Hardy.
37th min.
Utility forward Cunningham was penalised for illegally stripping the ball from Saints prop, Troy Stone. Bartrim takes the penalty goal and altered the score to 8 - 2.
38-39th min.
Ridge made a spectacular short kick-off and regathered, catching the Dragons unaware. Nathan Brown grabs Ridge's collar with one hand but Ridge got up and ran when Brown was expecting him to stop and play the ball. Referee David Manson rules Brown did not complete the tackle.
Kosef passes the ball to try-scoring-machine Menzies who storms his way through Saints' Lance Thompson, Dean Raper, Goldthorpe and Bartrim for a 4 pointer, injuring his thigh. Ridge converts for another 2 points.
40th min (Half Time)
In the first half, Saints made only one line break compared to Manly's 5. Saints also missed 15 tackles compared to Manly's 3.
2nd Half (Score at halftime, 14 - 2)
41st min.
Saints second-rower David Barnhill was caught on the sixth tackle in the second half's first set of six and turned over possession.
45th min.
Innes worked his way closer to Saints' goalpost for a Sea Eagles field goal. Ridge missed the shot.
49-50th min.
Saints replacement forward Colin Ward comes on.
Ridge goes down in pain with a knee injury.
51st min.
Fullback Ridge limped off and replaced by Craig Hancock.
52nd min.
Gartner picks up a loose ball from Bartrim on Saints' 2nd tackle count.
53rd min.
Danny Moore scores a try from a Terry Hill pass after Hill drew Saints defenders, Adrian Brunker and Nick Zisti. "Postie" Innes converts from 5m off the sideline. Sea Eagles lead Dragons, 20 - 2.
57th min.
"Beaver" Menzies finally hobbled off the field and replaced by Des Hasler.
58th min.
Lyons diffuses a Goldthorpe bomb in heavy traffic.
60th min.
Dragons winger Zisti scores a try from a Bartrim cut-out pass. Bartrim converts from the sidelines, 20 - 8.
64th min.
Ridge's field goal attempt was charged down. Carroll knocks on while attempting to pick up the loose ball just inches from the try-line.
70th min.
Serdaris makes another bust via dummy-half going through second-rower Scott Gourley, Ward, and halfback Goldthorpe. Fullback Raper desperately hangs on from behind and centre Mark Bell completes the tackle.
71st min.
Kosef works up the middle for another Ridge unsuccessful field goal attempt foiled by Saints defenders.
80th min.
Lyons catches the ball from Goldthorpe's kick and held on to take the last tackle. Referee Manson blows the full-time whistle. Sea Eagles wins, 20 - 8.
