Trial match - Sharks v Manly - half time

The Sharks young guns, with a sprinkling of the old heads, strutted their stuff in an impressive first half of their trial match against Manly at Brookvale.

In a strong attacking display the Sharks ran in five tries against the Sea Eagles in a dominant 40 minutes of football.

Led by Ricky Leutele out wide and with Ben Ross and Sam Tagataese setting the platform in the middle of the field, the Sharks showed plenty of skill and enterprise in their first outing for 2013.

Right from the opening whistle the Sharks were on song, with lock Tyrone Peachey slicing through and looking likely to score. A last ditch Manly tackle denied him but it wouldn’t take long for the Sharks to post first points and it came through some clever play from fullback Nathan Gardner in his return from a knee injury.

Taking a bomb inside his in goal Gardner sensed an opportunity and took a quick tap. With the Manly defense retreating Gardner scampered down the field, found halfback Penani Manumalealii in space, before Ricky Leutele was sent on a 50-metre dash to the try line.

In the next set of six the Sharks added to their tally when new recruit Tupou Sopoaga brushed off a would-be defender and ran 15 metres to score wide out.

Right from the kickoff the Sharks again had Manly on the back foot following a strong charge from front rower Tagataese then from the next play Peachey strode through some threadbare defense and ran 25 metres almost untouched to score.

The Sharks then made it four tries when Leutele won the race to the ball in the in goal following a well-weighted Manumalealii grubber kick.

Manly bounced back with a try wide out before a fifth Sharks score, to Junior Roqica made it five in a strong first half effort. The try was a just reward for Roqica who played strongly in his first match for the Sharks.

Sharks trial team - first half
Nathan Garnder
Daniel Moroko
Stewart Mills
Ricky Leutele
Sosia Feki
Jake Walsh
Penani Manumalealii
Ben Ross
Isaac De Gois
Sam Tagataese
Tupou Sopoaga
Junior Roqica
Tyrone Peachey
Interchange
Tim Robinson
Pat Politoni
Rodney Coates