Parramatta coach Brad Arthur has called Maika Sivo's forearm to the head of Manly's Reuben Garrick "dumb" as the Eels collapse for the second time in seven days.
The Eels gave up a half-time lead to lose 32-18, havingtwo players sent to the sin-bin in the final 23 minutes.
Maikia Sivo, who scored a hat-trick at Brookvale Oval on Friday night, encapsulated the Eels capitulation when he was sin-binned for hitting Manly's Reuben Garrick with a forearm to the head.
Parramatta trailed by two points, despite scoring four tries to three at that stage, when Sivo hit a defenceless Garrick on the ground after the Eels winger had made a tackle.
Poetically, Garrick scored twice in the next five minutes for Manly, where Sivo should have been defending.
"One of the most egregious things I have ever seen," former Manly player John Gibbs told ABC Sport in relation to Sivo's forearm.
Eels captain Clint Gutherson and coach Brad Arthur were clearly frustrated by the second half collapse when they fronted their post-match press conference.
Arthur called Sivo's forearm "dumb" while Gutherson lamented the action, especially after Parramatta had just returned to 13 men following WillPenisini's return from a previous sin-bin.
"Just stupid. We were right in the game, 10 minutes left, we just got Will back on," Gutherson said.
"Just silly things at the moment which are hurting us. Just missed tackles, penalties against us. Can't do that in NRL games, doesn't matter who you're versing."
The Eels held a 14-6 lead at half-time, scoring three tries in the opening 40 minutes.
Manly's Haumole Olakau'atu was put on report and sent to the sin-bin, the first of three made by referee Gerard Sutton, for a lifting tackle on Parramatta's Shaun Lane in the fifth minute.
Sivo had two tries in the first half, becoming the first opposition player to score a double in three consecutive matches at Brookvale Oval.
Tries to Tom Trbojevic and Daly Cherry-Evans in the opening 10 minutes of the second half gave Manly their first lead of the night.
Will Penisini was sin-binned in the 57th minute for tackling Trbojevic without the ball, denying what could have been a try-scoring opportunity.
But Sivo's third try, while Parramatta was down to 12 men, breathed new life into the Eels who trailed 20-18 with 13 minutes to play.
Sivo's forearm to Garrick then ended the Eels charge as they fell away in the final 10 minutes.
While the attention rested with Sivo post-game, the Eels had already given up their half-time lead.
Their second half was littered with errors and penalties, while Gutherson and Dylan Brown combined to successfully kick just one of five shots for goal.
"We're just having lapses in concentration," Parramatta's J'maine Hopgood told ABC Sport.
"It's one play in one set, it's having a ripple effect and it's killing us at the moment."
Parramatta has the bye next week, while Manly stays at home for a Friday night clash with the Canberra Raiders.
Catch up with the action from Friday's match with our blog.
Key events
- Coach and captain are not happy with Maika Sivo
- Daly Cherry-Evans speaking with ABC Sport
- FT: Manly overrun the Eels to win 32-18
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Live updates
Pinned
Update
By Michael Doyle
That is all from us tonight
By Michael Doyle
What an evening of NRL.
This game was fabulous for the neutral.
A close contest, plenty of drama and A LOT of talking points coming out of it.
We will be back tomorrow for two more matches this Anzac Round in the NRL.
Goodnight.
Daly Cherry-Evans makes a profound point on Anzac Round
By Michael Doyle
We are giving the final word from Brookvale to Daly Cherry-Evans, who told this to ABC Sport.
"It’s a real privilege to play in Anzac week and to represent the Anzacs.
"We don’t take that lightly and that part we definitely draw on, but there are very little similarities between war and sport, so we certainly don’t try and compare ourselves to anything war-related.
"But we certainly do try and tap into the spirit that they showed as Anzacs."
J'maine Hopgood tells ABC Sport concentration is hurting the Eels
By Michael Doyle
Parramatta forwardJ'maine Hopgood has spoken with John Gibbs.
A clearly disappointed Hopgood told ABC Sport that the Eels' good work is being undone too regularly.
"We're just having lapses in concentration. It's one play in one set, it's having a ripple effect and it's killing us at the moment."
What do you say to Sivo?
By Michael Doyle
Brad Arthur has been asked what he will say to Maika Sivo following the loss — and the sin-bin.
Arthur has a measured response for a coach who looks frustrated.
"There's no point in saying too much tonight on emotion, we'll just let it settle" he says.
"He doesn't need me to tell how silly it was.
"Because we put him back in the team, and he showed why we put him back in the team, because he scored a couple of tries that probably no-one in our squad can score."
Key Event
Coach and captain are not happy with Maika Sivo
By Michael Doyle
Brad Arthur was asked about Sivo's sin-bin.
"It's dumb, isn't it? It's 20-18, we're up four tries to three," he said.
Captain Clint Gutherson was not impressed either, especially since the Eels had just got WillPenisini back on the field from his sin-bin.
"Just stupid. We were right in the game, 10 minutes left, we just got Will back on," he said.
"Just silly things at the moment which are hurting us. Just missed tackles, penalties against us. Can't do that in NRL games, doesn't matter who you're versing."
Brad Arthur and Clint Gutherson are holding their post game press conference
By Michael Doyle
Parramatta coach Brad Arthur has said his team, like last week, need to play well for the whole 80 minutes.
"We've got to decide if it's full-time, everytime, with that effort," he said.
"If we keep doing that we'll fight our way out of it.
"I thought in the second half we probably beat ourselves."
Plenty of reaction after Sivo's sin-bin
By Michael Doyle
Andrew Moore has seen more games of footy than the average fan.
"Maika Sivo who I love as a football player does some really dumb things. If I'm Brad Arthur, I'm nearly dropping him again."
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Key Event
Daly Cherry-Evans speaking with ABC Sport
By Michael Doyle
Manly captain Daly Cherry-Evans has joined John Gibbs for ABC Sport.
"Definitely a weird game, but we'll take it," he said.
"We're certainly not playing the most clinical footy at the moment.
"We are there abouts, but we have some work to do."
Key Event
FT: Manly overrun the Eels to win 32-18
By Michael Doyle
Parramatta impoded again.
They were on top for a lot of that contest, but it all folded late.
As we said before the game, Manly find ways to win.
They found another way tonight.
78' NO TRY: Manly denied try by the Bunker
By Michael Doyle
Manly thought they had a try, but Turbo was offside from a grubber kick.
It was a scrappy play, and among a few grubber kicks, Turbo was offside.
Key Event
78' TRY: Manly are in again
By Michael Doyle
Key Event
75' TRY: Garrick again scores where Sivo should be
By Michael Doyle
Manly are going to win.
They are targeting Parramatta's left-edge, where Maika SIvo no longer is.
Daly Cherry-Evans throws a cut-out ball, picked up by Garrick, Parra's defence is at sixes-and-sevens and, and Garrick scores.
Key Event
71' TRY: Manly scores through Reuben Garrick
By Michael Doyle
It's almost poetic.
Reuben Garrick has scored where Maika Sivo should have been defending.
Eels' coach Brad Arthur must be fuming.
Key Event
70' SIN BIN: Maika Sivo has been marched for a forearm to the head
By Michael Doyle
Maika Sivo has been sent to the bin.
Why Maika?
He tacklesReubenGarrick. Fine tackle.
But then slams a forearm into his head — and he goes for it again.
He won't come back until 20 seconds to go.
"Blatantly dumb and blatantly deliberate," says caller Andrew Moore for ABC Sport.
"One of the most egregious things I have ever seen," says John Gibbs.
68': Gutherson sacks himself as goal kicker?
By Michael Doyle
Gutherson has missed all conversions, so Dylan Brown takes this shot from the touchline.
Brown cannot kick the goal either.
Parramatta have scored 4 tries to 3 — but they trail by 2 points.
67' TRY: Sivo has three tries and Parramatta hit back
By Michael Doyle
Maika Sivo has a hat-trick.
Oh no. We have gone to the Bunker.
Wait … the Bunker is going to uphold the try.
There was a high kick, followed by a collision between an Eels and a Sea Eagle (the Bunker clears the contact) Parra get the ball, flung it to the other side of the field.
Sivo scores!
67' TRY: Sivo has three tries and Parramatta hit back
By Michael Doyle
Maika Sivo has a hat-trick.
63': A contentious call from the Bunker give Parramatta the ball
By Michael Doyle
Jason Saab has been called for a knock-on from the Bunker, after the ball appeared to be knocked out by Parramatta's Maika Sivo.
The ref says Sivo knocked on, but the Eels challenge the play.
The Bunker thinks Sivo either hit Saab's hand or Saab knocked-on first.
Either way, premiership-winner Luke Lewis is not convinced.
"I don't know what a knock-on is anymore," Lewis tells ABC Sport.
Key Event
59': Manly make it 20-14 with a penalty goal
By Michael Doyle
After the sin bin,Reuben Garrick kicks a penalty goal for Manly.
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