Dragons Storm Home to Seal 40-14 Victory Over Sea Eagles
Game Summary
The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup wrapped up its regular season at Lionel Watts Park in Frenchs Forest, where the St George Illawarra Dragons ran out 40-14 winners over the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in Round 26.
It was the Dragons who struck first, edge forward Dylan Coutts scoring the opening try of the contest, with Kade Reed adding the extras to make it 6-0.
Manly hit back quickly, scoring back-to-back tries through Blake Wilson, set up brilliantly by Hugo Hart, before Hart crossed himself moments later to put the Sea Eagles in front 8-6. Aaron Schoupp then powered over to extend the margin further, and with the boot doing its job, Manly led 14-6.
The Dragons refused to fold, hitting back through Junior Saifiti to close the gap to 14-10, before Setu Tu produced a barnstorming individual effort to level the contest. Nick Tsougranis then crashed over to hand St George the lead heading into the sheds, 16-14, capping a frantic opening forty minutes that produced six tries.
The second half belonged to the Dragons. Brad Morkos crossed twice, either side of a Tom Kirk try, while Jacob Halangahu and Tsougranis both scored again as St George pulled clear in the closing stages.
Halangahu's line-break finish stood out among the highlights, the youngster shrugging off three defenders before racing 20 metres to the try-line. Reed was reliable off the tee throughout, converting from the sideline late to push the margin beyond 25 points.
Manly, despite the heavy final margin, showed plenty of fight in patches, particularly through their left edge with Willett and Newlands causing early problems, but their discipline and completion rate fell away as the Dragons found their rhythm after half-time.
The result gives St George Illawarra their ninth win of the season, while Manly finish with two.
Talking Points
- Jacob Halangahu's 20-metre line-break finish, brushing off multiple defenders, was the individual highlight of the match and a statement from the 27th-appearance Dragon.
- Setu Tu continues his stellar debut Knock-On Effect NSW Cup season, adding another try to underline why he was the club's top try-scorer at NRL level in 2026.
- Manly's inability to hold their 14-6 lead proved costly, with St George scoring the last five tries of the match to close it out.
- Brad Morkos's double continues a strong return to form for the World Cup hopeful, who has now scored in consecutive matches.
Key Moment
Setu Tu's line-break just before half-time, which handed the Dragons a 16-14 lead at the break, swung momentum decisively toward St George and set the platform for their second-half surge.
What's next?
Both clubs' NSW Cup campaigns are complete for 2026. Finals action begins next week with Week One of the NSWRL Finals.
