NRL: Manly overcome Canberra to move into top eight

Martin Taupau.
Martin Taupau. Photo credit: Image: Getty

Manly have overcome a Daly Cherry-Evans ankle injury and a first half deficit to beat Canberra 24-20 in their NRL clash at Lottoland.

After they trailed 12-0 early and then watched Cherry-Evans limp off at 14-12 down just after the break, the Sea Eagles put the foot to the floor in the second half.

Attacking like a team without any fear, Lachlan Croker scored a double as Martin Taupau and Manase Fainu got Manly going through the middle.

In the 32 minutes without their captain, Manly had five linebreaks, 11 offloads and 13 tackle busts and ran away with the game before a late Raiders try.

Croker was the first beneficiary of the second-half clinic, running onto a Jake

Trbojevic ball after Curtis Sironen, Fainu and Corey Waddell all produced offloads in the lead up.

It came after the former Canberra junior also finished off a try from Manly's own half at the end of the first half.

The double was a sweet reward for Croker in his first NRL game since injuring his knee on the same weekend last year.

Winger Reuben Garrick then had Manly's other second-half try minutes later, again after a bust from Fainu before Moses Suli and Jack Gosiewski spread it wide.

Canberra then gave themselves a small hope in the dying minutes when Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad crossed, but an error on the following set sealed their fate.

The Raiders had led after 10 minutes courtesy of back-to-back Jack Wighton tries but they couldn't sustain their early attacking groove.

Their loss was compounded by a rib injury to winger Jordan Rapana, who left the field in the first half and didn't return.

Manly also lost Jorge Taufua to an apparent leg injury late, but it will be Monday's scans on Cherry-Evans that are of most interest.

The Queensland State of Origin halfback limped from the field early after his right ankle appeared to be caught under an Elliott Whitehead tackle.

The 30-year-old later returned to the bench, with Fox Sports sideline reporter Corey Parker saying Cherry-Evans told him he 'felt something go'.

The Manly captain is favoured to wear the No.7 jersey for Queensland in the June 5 series opener, and is a strong chance to skipper the Maroons.

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