The 27-12 defeat isn't terminal for their playoffs chances with four games remaining but a win today would have made the equation a lot easier. They were undone by a Manly side that were both slick and sloppy and sometimes a little lucky but, ultimately, too good.
The Warriors couldn't build enough pressure - they saw little more than 40 per cent of possession - and their left-edge defence was the problem today as David Williams scored a hat-trick on the right wing. When Williams scores, Manly tend to win - they have won their last 14 when he touches down and 28 of their last 29.
With games against the Panthers (H), Titans (A), Raiders (H) and Dragons (A) remaining, the Warriors need to win three, possibly four, to make the top eight. They need to get back to the sort of form that saw them win five in a row that was built on the right mix of style and structure.
Too often against Manly they took the wrong option and that was no better illustrated than when Shaun Johnson tried a cheeky grubber on the first tackle with the score 14-6 and the Warriors threatening. It would have looked brilliant if it had come off but no one else was alert to the option and it meant the Warriors not only lost the chance but also crucial momentum.
That's what Johnson can offer. At times he's brilliant - and he had some nice touches and scored a try today - but he's still learning what it takes to be a top-class and consistent half.
Things looked ominous early on as Manly found space and led 10-0 inside 25 minutes after tries to Brett Stewart and Williams. It could have been a lot worse and, as slick as Manly looked at times, they also made plenty of errors and completed only 13 of 22 sets in the first half.
The Warriors were hanging on at times and they struggled to build any pressure as the home side harried them with their quick line speed and dominance in the ruck.
But they clawed their way back into the game in the 32nd minute when Ngani Laumape finished off a sweeping set-piece move from a scrum. It was reminiscent of the one Melbourne scored from against the Warriors three weeks ago and featured Manu Vatuvei popping up on the right side in a wrap-around move.
The Warriors would have been quite happy to go to the sheds at 10-6 and, while they threatened briefly in the second spell, Manly weren't in a mood to let them grab the initiative. Williams scored when Glenn Stewart grubbered through and touched down again when a Kieran Foran chip couldn't be dealt with and Glenn Stewart shovelled the ball on.
When Johnson scored on the hour to narrow the gap to 20-12, the game was still in the balance but Brett Stewart snuffed that out three minutes later when he waltzed through the Warriors' left-edge defence.
This defeat was not unexpected against a Manly side who have now won six in a row but it was another deflating effort after their 18-14 loss to Cronulla last week. They will need to improve against the Panthers because their top-eight chances depend on it.
Sea Eagles 27 (David Williams 3, Brett Stewart 2 tries; Jamie Lyon 3 gls, Daly Cherry-Evans fg) Warriors 12 (Ngani Laumape Shaun Johnson tries; Johnson 2 gls). HT: 10-6.
- Michael Brown of APNZ
