The New Zealand Warriors were jolted awake from their NRL playoff dream by a ruthless Manly side who won their grand final qualifier 32-6 in Sydney.
Inspired by Dally M player of the year Matt Orford, Manly were simply too good for a weary Warriors side, scoring seven tries to one to book a repeat of last year's grand final against defending champions Melbourne.
Manly scored some brilliant tries and
defended
stoutly
against a usually potent Warriors attack who
didn't score their first try until the 75th
minute, a consolation to winger Aidan Kirk from
a kick through.
Before a Sydney Football Stadium crowd of 32,095, including a large chunk of rowdy Warriors fans, captain Steve Price's men finally bowed out after progressing further than any other eighth-placed side under the decade-long McIntyre finals system.
It was also a final farewell for Warriors idol and former Kiwis captain Ruben Wiki, 35, who played his 312th and last NRL match.
Manly were clear favourites, having earned the week off after a 38-6 hammering of the Dragons, but there was a fair degree of Warriors confidence after their 18-15 boilover against minor premiers Melbourne then a 30-13 dispatch of the Sydney Roosters.
Any hopes among the many Warriors fans that Manly might be rusty after a week's break were dashed in an imposing first half where the Sydneysiders scored three tries to lead 12-0.
The Warriors made a composed start and should have scored first in the fifth minute when Nathan Fien followed up a kick and snatched the ball from the feet of Manly winger David Williams.
From the overlap the Warriors got the ball to their go-to man Manu Vatuvei but just as he was stepping inside to score, the ball was jolted free by Williams.
The Sea Eagles dominated territory for the first quarter and the pressure of three consecutive sets of six told in the 12th minute when b rilliant fullback Brett Stewart scythed onto an Orford pass to open the scoring.
The Warriors had their share of chances but offered little on attack before the break as the Manly defence was solid and they comfortably dealt with attacking kicks.
Two tries in five minutes saw Manly head to the break with their tails up.
Sea Eagles departing hero Steve Menzies, playing his 348 NRL match, was on the field just 10 minutes before he double his side's lead after Orford handled twice, then Kiwis centre Steve Matai who was favouring a clearly injured right shoulder dived over out wide after a miracle through-the-legs pass from Stewart.
It was so near yet so far for the Warriors after the break, too.
A promising Warriors attack saw centre Jerome Ropati dragged down 1m short of the line, then Manly struck two killer blows in the space of four minutes to snuff out the visitors' hopes.
First, Manly five-eighth Jamie Lyon snatched a bomb from fullback Wade McKinnon's hands and popped a ball for Orford to cross next to the posts. The little halfback celebrated with his first conversion from four attempts.
Then Lyon showed his class with a short ball f or lock Glenn Stewart to steam 20m and score out wide, making it 22-0 with half-an-hour left.
Aucklander Matai continued to terrorise the Warriors by setting up two more tries as the score mounted, sending winger Michael Robertson away with a one-handed offload then bursting through to create Brett Stewart's second.
Manly Sea Eagles 32 (Brett Stewart 2, Steve Menzies, Steve Matai, Matt Orford, Glenn Stewart, Michael Robertson tries; Orford goal, Matai goal) New Zealand Warriors 6 (Aidan Kirk try, Lance Hohaia goal). Halftime: 12-0.
-NZPA
