NRL finals LIVE: Canterbury scores first after drawing error from ...

Tom Trbojevic played with one arm. Every single Sea Eagle seemed to be on the end of at least one belting by a Bulldogs defender.

And with two minutes, and then 20 seconds left, Matt Burton twice threatened to blast home a match-turning two-point field goal with that monster left boot.

But Manly are still alive, and semi-final bound to take on the Roosters after one of the gutsiest wins in their recent history to end Canterbury’s fairytale season.

Manly only led for 13 minutes in front of 50,471 rabid fans, but they were the 13 that counted. Trbojevic started the game with a painkilling injection in his shoulder, had another at half-time, and laboured through much of the match either side.

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Except when he was setting up the match-winning try for Tolu Koula by running it on the last from deep inside Manly territory. Koula beat three Bulldogs defenders and wrong-footed Connor Tracey with a spectacular 72nd-minute try that proved the difference in the Sea Eagles’ 24-22 triumph.

Whether Trbojevic survives to face the Roosters will be the storyline of the coming week. Either way, his teammates will wake battered and bruised after Canterbury bashed them every which way.

Read the full match report here

With two minutes on the clock Matt Burton goes for a two-point field goal.

There’s mass confusion from the team, the set-up was awful, and the ball just falls short of the crossbar.

It seemed like the obvious play, but the Bulldogs were in half a mind what to do.

Sea Eagles 24, Bulldogs 22 with 90 seconds to go

When all hope is lost, Tolutau Koula delivers the goods for the Sea Eagles.

He skips past three Bulldogs defenders – Toby Sexton, Jeral Skelton and Connor Tracey – to score.

It was the run from Tom Trbojevic that set up the opportunity, and the Sea Eagles have finally iced it.

Reuben Garrick kicks the conversion to hand the Sea Eagles a two point lead.

Sea Eagles 24, Bulldogs 22 with seven minutes to go

So close, yet so far for the Sea Eagles.

They’ve got the opportunities, but they just can’t find the points. They had numbers on the outside to score on the right edge, but Lehi Hopoate drops the ball. All he had to do was catch and pass to Reuben Garrick, but it’s all becoming a bit too much.

Bulldogs 22, Sea Eagles 18 with 10 minutes to go

And just like that, Manly hit back.

A perfectly executed set play from the Sea Eagles from the scrum, with a no-look pass from Luke Brooks.

Daly Cherry-Evans comes from the scrum and wraps around the outside to score while Tolutau Koula runs the decoy. Garrick adds with the conversion, and we’re back to a four-point game.

Bulldogs 22, Sea Eagles 18 with 23 minutes to go

Reuben Garrick and Jacob Kiraz go up for the ball and it hits the deck.

Originally ruled a knock-on from Manly, but Daly Cherry-Evans uses his captain’s challenge – he knows it’s a crucial point of the game.

The video provides the good. Knock-on first from the Bulldogs. Manly ball.

Bulldogs 22, Sea Eagles 12 with 25 minutes to go

Tensions are running high out here.

Reed Mahoney and Reuben Garrick get into, Josh Curran comes in, there’s pushing and shoving everywhere.

Nothing like a bit of a stink to make the finals more exciting. Curran gives a penalty away for getting involved, Manly move up field.

Bulldogs 22, Sea Eagles 12 with 28 minutes to go

Reed Mahoney and Reuben Garrick get into it during the play-the-ball.Credit: Getty Images