- 6 May 2015
- Manly Daily
- Jon Geddes
Semi-final heartbreak
SEA EAGLES’ SG BALL SIDE LOSES IN EXTRA TIME
COACH Chad Randall said a few tears were shed in the dressing room after the gallant Sea Eagles SG Ball side lost its semi-final to South Sydney 14-10 in golden point extra time at St Marys Stadium on Saturday.
Powerhouse Sea Eagles back John Hopoate junior on the charge (above) and (right) Brad Areneiil and Elia Faatui combine to stop a Rabbitoh rival.
“We were up 10-4 with 15 minutes left and the belief was that we could go all the way,” Randall said.
Souths drew level at 10-all and crossed for the winning try in extra time on a field drenched in water.
“That’s why it was heartbreaking,” Randall said.
But that loss cannot detract from what has been an outstanding season for the young Manly side, who most rivals did not rate as a serious threat at the start of the competition.
“The plan from day one was to build a culture where we believed we could win and I think that’s what we did,” Randall said.
Billy Bainbridge, Elia Faatui, Luke Polselli, Cade Cust, Brad Parker and John Hopoate junior were standouts during the season.
And with those players coming through the ranks, the future of the Sea Eagles looks bright.
Randall deserves a lot of credit for the success of the team in his first year in charge. “I really enjoyed it and look forward to staying involved,” the former Sea Eagles forward said.