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A late injury to Tom Trbojevic has threatened to put a dampener on what had been a superb night for the Sea Eagles, who put on a clinic in front of 35,502 supporters to beat Canterbury-Bankstown 34-22.
Trojevic left the field at the Sydney Olympic stadium late in the match, covered in blood from a head wound, but nursing his right shoulder.
Manly confirmed an AC joint injury, but coach Anthony Seibold said he hoped the fullback would be fit to play week one of the finals.
"He will definitely miss next week from what I understand. He will get an x-ray or scan," Seibold said.
"We'll put a plan together for him and make sure we look after him.
"The good thing is those injuries aren't season ending. There is some pain there, and he will be a bit sore and sorry for the next few weeks.
"But he will be right to go for week one."
The same cannot be said for Jason Saab, who left the field earlier in the contest with a high ankle sprain that could rule him out for the rest of the season.
That news came after Manly had put on an attacking clinic to tear apart the Bulldogs stingy defence in front of a record Friday night, 6pm crowd at the Olympic stadium to keep their chances of a home final alive, scoring six tries to four.
Karl Lawton pounced on a lovely Luke Brook pass to score before half time. (AAP Image: Dan Himbrechts)
The Bulldogs got off to a superb start when Reed Mahoney scored before the Sea Eagles even touched the ball in the second minute, and he scored another in the closing seconds of the game.
But between those scores Manly ran rampant, with — Tom Trbojevic, Karl Lawton, Reuben Garrick and a Lehi Hopoate double contributing to Canterbury's heaviest defeat of the season.
"That's the first time this year I have walked off really disappointed in our defence," Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo said.
"We let in six tries. I really didn't like that. The way we let them in was really poor."
The defeat leaves Canterbury's top-four hopes in tatters, with victory over the Cowboys next weekend a must if they want to secure a home final.
Manly can also sneak in to secure a home final if beat the Sharks at Brookvale next Sunday.
In the late match, Penrith pummelled South Sydney to record a comfortable 34-12 victory and wrap up a top four spot.
The Panthers were far from at their vintage best, but still ran in six tries to the Rabbitohs' two.
Both of Souths tries were scored by teenage winger Tyrone Munro, who was playing despite his mother having passed away during the week and his uncle that morning.
James Fisher-Harris, Luke Garner and Brad Schneider had all scored before that though and, when Sunia Turuva scored a quick-fire double just after half-time, the result was all but certain.
Isaah Yeo finished the scoring just after Keaon Koloamatangi was sent to the sin bin.
Look back on how all the action unfolded in our live blog.
We'll wrap things up there
Thanks for tonight's blog Simon, looking forward to tomorrow's Brisbane V Redcliffe, it will be an interesting match for all the clubs bunched around the 8th - 12th positions.
- Mike
But as Mike says, that's not where the interest this round ends.
Tomorrow's battle of Brisbane at Lang Park will be a cracker, and that's the middle of three games we have to look forward to in Saturday's NRL program.
We'll be back to bring you all that action, and I hope you'll join us too.
Have a good weekend, good night.
Full time: Penrith confirm top four spot
(Getty Images)
Too easy really for Penrith - a comfortable 34-12 victory to secure the double chance in the finals.
They move back into second spot on the ladder for now, with the Roosters and Cronulla yet to play this week.
James Fisher-Harris opened the scoring, with Luke Garner adding a second just moments later to thrust the Panthers into an early 12-0 lead.
Brad Schneider added a third try before Tyrone Munro scored the first of two tries for Souths, just days after his mother passed away.
Sunia Turuva scored a quick-fire double just after half time before Munro's second, a 90-metre intercept, with Isaah Yeo finishing the scoring after Keaon Koloamatangi was sent to the sin bin.
78' Cody Walker on report
Now it's Cody Walker who is on report.
He has gone over the top of the tackle and collected the head.
He's not happy with the decision and makes it known that he's not happy as well.
But it looked the correct one. See?
(Getty Images)
76' Lindsay Smith on report
Should that have been a sin binning?
You'd have to say it would.
A crusher tackle from Lindsay Smith and you'd expect that he'd face a stringent examination from the match review committee.
71' Isaah Yeo scores!
The under-manned Souths were always a long shot to keep out the Panthers here.
And Yeo at first receiver was the man to get the score.
There were two Souths players making the tackle but despite their best attention, could not stop the giant lock from getting the ball down.
The kick is good and the score is 34-12.
70' Jack Wighton off with a calf injury
Jack Wighton will play no further part for the injury-hit Souths side.
He is off with a calf injury, as per Fox Sports and will not return tonight.
Souths say it is a precaution, though.
69' Keaon Koloamatangi sent to the sin bin
James Fisher-Harris kicked the ball from inside the 10 metres.
However, he was tackled by Keaon Koloamatangi not long after.
The kick - Fisher-Harris' second of the game and sixth of his NRL career - was quite deep so it's not a penalty try.
But the South Sydney man is off in the bin for the next 10 minutes.
67' Liam Martin off for an HIA
He just got clipped on the side of the head by the knee of a South Sydney player.
He passed an on-field assessment before the TV doctor saw sense and hauled him off the field.
Magic
Don't want to be a killjoy, but the rabbits will need to pull something special out of their hat if they want to catch the Panthers in the 2nd half
- Mike
62' Munro looks for a hattrick, denied by a dubious forward pass
Oh that's a very rough call for Souths.
Munro was free on the left and was gifted a beautiful ball over the top by Jack Wighton.
However, the officiating team ruled that the ball went forward, but it was very much backwards out of the hand and drifted forward with momentum.
Tough call on Souths.
54' Intercept for Munro!
Loose pass on the edge of the Souths 10 from Izack
Tago, and Tyrone Munro was gone!
Supreme pace, easy speed for the teenager, who has had a rough week with his mother passing on and, indeed, a rough season after so many injuries.
Munro had a grin on his face with about 70 metres to go, so sure was he that he wouldn't be caught.
It wasn't misplaced belief.
The kick is good and Souths are just about hanging in there, 28-12.
31' Jye Gray denied try
So close for the young Souths fullback.
Jye Gray burrowed towards the line but was ruled on-field to have been just short and the Bunker says there's not enough evidence to overturn that decision.
That looks rough, it looks to me like he probably got that over, but probably is not enough.
Meanwhile, in the build up to that decision, Peter Mamouzelos slammed his head into the ground and has had to go off for an HIA.
