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AAP
AAP
Sport
Scott Bailey

Manly outlast Storm in another brutal Battle of Brookie

Melbourne star Cameron Munster is crunched in a Manly tackle in Friday's brutal NRL contest. (Mark Evans/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

Manly have outlasted Melbourne 18-8 to claim a wild Friday night NRL victory that revived memories of the famous Battle of Brookvale.

In a brutal contest, Lachlan Croker crossed late to snap a two-game losing streak for Manly and help them climb back into the top eight.

But the story of the game was the clear feeling and physicality between the teams, with five players facing an anxious wait for the charge sheet on Saturday morning.

Summing it up, more players were removed from the field than on that famous fight night on the same ground in 2011 when Glenn Stewart and Adam Blair were both sent off.

Daly Cherry-Evans bore the brunt of the pain on Friday, with Melbourne pair Justin Olam and Tui Kamikamica both sin-binned for late shots on the half.

Cameron Munster also copped some heat and Manly winger Raymond Tuaimalo Vaega was sin-binned for a late shot on the Storm five-eighth-turned-fullback.

The match was best encapsulated by a frantic 14-minute period after halftime, when Manly were denied tries twice by the bunker and had a penalty goal clatter into the posts.

With both sides down to 12 during the stint, each team emerged with a penalty goal after Jake Trbojevic was put on report for a lifting tackle on Munster and Melbourne's Trent Loiero was put on report for a hip-drop.

Tom Trbojevic also spent time off the field for a HIA after contact from Loiero late in the first half, while Sea Eagles second-rower Kelma Tuilagi suffered a concussion..

Terrible in defence for the past two weeks against Newcastle and Penrith, Manly clearly made a point to come out with aggression.

One crunching hit from Haumole Olakau'atu and Josh Aloiai forced Olam off the field for a HIA after whiplash, while a scuffle broke out when Tuaimalo Vaega rattled Melbourne winger Will Warbrick.

The Sea Eagles led from the start, when Tom Trbojevic charged through on an early Cherry-Evans chip kick to beat Munster to the ball.

After his fitness was a point of conjecture all week, Trbojevic showed no sign of back, hip or hamstring pain as he charged back at the line with the most power he has exhibited all season.

Melbourne hit back when Warbrick scored untouched, but two first-half penalty goals for the Sea Eagles meant they were always in front on the scoresheet.

Croker's four-pointer off a Taniela Paseka offload with six minutes to go eventually sealed the match, on a night where more players ended up on report than on the try-scorers' list.

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