Manly has clinched fourth place ahead of the finals series after a second-half whitewash delivered a 46-18 win over North Queensland in Townsville.
The victory sees the Sea Eagles set up a tantalising match-up with minor premiers Melbourne Storm in the opening week of the finals and earn a second chance in the post-season.
In Saturday’s other matches, the third-placed South Sydney held off a fast-finishing St George Illawarra 20-16 on the Sunshine Coast, while Brisbane beat finals-bound Newcastle 35-22 at Lang Park.
The Sea Eagles were heavily favoured to run amok in their trip to Townsville but were made to work hard before running away with the win in the final 15 minutes.
The Sea Eagles scored five tries in the final 20 minutes of the match as a tired Cowboys outfit was cut to shreds by Tom Trbojevic.
Manly’s fullback had his fingerprints all over the contest, finishing with a hat-trick of tries, two try assists, 14 tackle busts, three line-breaks and 246 running metres.
His brother Jake also featured heavily in the scoring, bagging two tries of his own.
Reuben Garrick became the first player ever to score 300 points in the regular season, kicking seven of his eight conversions and scoring a try of his own on the night.
The Sea Eagles’ five second-half tries flipped the switch on an opening stanza in which they struggled to complete their sets.
After the Cowboys opened the scoring through Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Manly hit back when Daly Cherry-Evans’s kick found Jason Saab in the air.
Jake Trbojevic was next on the scoreboard with his first try of the match.
His younger sibling Tom scored his opening four-pointer in the shadows of half-time, before completing his hat-trick with tries in the 72nd and 80th minutes.
Garrick and Cherry-Evans crossed for second-half tries, while Jake Trbojevic posted his second of the match in the 57th minute.
Jordan McLean and Ben Condon provided a try each for the Cowboys in the second half.
Rabbitohs defeat Dragons
Taane Milne (right) was among the South Sydney try scorers.(
AAP: Darren England
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Match summary
Team stats
Play-by-play
Broncos finish on a high
The Broncos endured a tough season, but ended on a positive note in front of their home crowd.(
Getty Images: Matt Roberts
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Brisbane has disrupted Newcastle’s finals preparation with a 35-22 victory at Lang Park.
The Broncos, 15th on the ladder, provided a fond farewell to retiring captain Alex Glenn by posting just their seventh victory of the year.
The Knights have plenty to ponder ahead of next week’s elimination final against Parramatta after losing prop David Klemmer to a rib injury.
Klemmer came off in the 47th minute with a suspected rib cartilage complaint after copping a hit from Albert Kelly.
The Knights showed some late fight after trailing 34-10 in the 60th minute.
Fullback Kalyn Ponga and playmaker Mitchell Pearce were placed in cotton wool on the bench after Anthony Milford crossed for the Broncos in the 43rd minute to make the score 24-4.
Moments later Klemmer was helped off the field, and suddenly all seemed lost for Newcastle, who had rested Tyson Frizell, Jacob Saifiti, Jayden Brailey and Mitchell Barnett.
But the Knights cut the deficit to 34-22 with tries to Jack Johns (63rd minute) and Chris Randall (66th minute), before Milford ensured a rare Broncos win with a 74th-minute field goal.
Brisbane had earlier led 18-4 at half-time, having scored three tries to one in the opening 40 minutes.
It took some brilliance from Ponga for Newcastle to finally get on the board, with the fullback throwing a sublime cut-out pass for Ernari Tuala in the 29th minute.
AAP
Source:: ABC News
