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The Dragons are looking to get back to their winning form against the Bulldogs, after the Sea Eagles hold off the Warriors for a win at Brookvale.
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St George Illawarra Dragons vs Canterbury Bulldogs
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Trbojevic stars as Manly downs the Warriors
AAP: Brendon Thorne
)Tom Trbojevic celebrated his 100th NRL match with the finest performance of his stellar career to inspire Manly to a thrilling 38-32 win over the Warriors.
In arguably the best game from any player this year, Trbojevic scored Manly’s first two tries and set up their next four to lead a fightback from 20-12 down to 36-20 up.
On a bizarre Sunday afternoon, the Warriors also fought back to within six points with four minutes to play, through tries to Chanel Harris-Tavita and Reece Walsh.
Hat-trick hero Jason Saab pulled off a crucial try-saving tackle with 30 seconds left to force Ken Maumalo out just centimetres short of the line.
But through it all, the story was Trbojevic.
With Manly great and premiership-winning full-back Brett Stewart watching on, Trbojevic finished with 11 tackle busts and five line-breaks to go with his 191 running metres.
The Sea Eagles are now within touching distance of the top eight despite recording their worst opening month to a season when Trbojevic was injured.
The full-back’s influence was almost immediate on Sunday.
After Manly fell behind 6-0 early, he sprinted across field behind the ruck and spotted a hole to go over virtually untouched at first receiver next to the post.
The try came off the back of a smart 40-20 play from Daly Cherry-Evans, who kicked on the second tackle when he spotted Roger Tuivasa-Sheck out of position.
Trbojevic’s second came as Manly spread the ball to the right and he stepped back in field through a gap to fight his way over.
After the Warriors hit back before half-time and bombed a four-on-one advantage to go to a possible 24-12 lead when a Kodi Nikorima pass went into touch, Trbojevic exploded.
In the next set he put Morgan Harper over on the right edge before combining with Cherry-Evans to put Saab into score moments later.
Trbojevic’s next involvement was arguably his best, laying on a perfect 15-metre cut-out ball for Reuben Garrick on the left wing when Manly ran it on the last tackle.
And when he broke down field off a pass from his brother Jake and found Saab to finish the job for the second of his three tries, the game looked finished.
But that was before the Warriors’ near miraculous comeback.
The visitors were left to rue defensive flaws despite a Harris-Tavita double and Tohu Harris scoring a try to go with his four tackle busts.
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