Manly 32 Warriors 6

ASKED on Saturday night about the mindset of his side after disposing of the Warriors, Manly coach Des Hasler said: "It wasn't subdued, it was probably controlled."

And certainly there looks to be a finger-spinner's control to this Sea Eagles side - a far cry even from last year's model.

Against the Warriors, the Sea Eagles were clinical. And they had to be against a side that had built up the momentum of a boulder falling off the top of a mountain.

"It was really impressive," second-rower Anthony Watmough said. "Our forwards really stuck it to them, and stopped that momentum, that roll they're on."

There was much to like about Manly's display, and much to suggest they will not falter next Sunday as they did in last year's grand final. Sure, the Sea Eagles looked pretty good against North Queensland in the preliminary final of 2007, but there was always a feeling they had done superbly just to get there.

On Saturday night, you see, it was a controlled effort before, during and after. The conservative celebrations matched the ultra-impressive display on the field.

Matt Orford's wayward goalkicking may have kept the Warriors in it for longer than they deserved, but with 20 from 21 completions in the first half, Manly strangled them out of the contest - using a pure silk scarf to do it.

Orford's ball to Brett Stewart … the fullback's tunnel vision when he sent the ball between his legs to Steve Matai (a try opposing coach Ivan Cleary described as a "kick in the guts") … and Jamie Lyon's leap after chasing his own bomb, then passing the ball to Orford to score, were all prime examples of Manly's manliness - added maturity from last season. Bash to set up the win and flash to carry it out.

"Our forwards sometimes don't get noticed for the work they do," Stewart said. "I think they laid the platform for us outside backs and gave us a bit of room tonight."

Cleary added: "They were really accurate and fast in everything they did. I think it's fair to say that the best two teams are in [the grand final]. Good luck to them."

Even though the Warriors displayed tenacity to achieve what no other team had, a preliminary final from eighth place, this was a deserved result for a Manly side that has displayed equal parts slick and brick along the way, even if the Warriors probably did not deserve a result which, like their beards, was not a close shave.

"Either way, you've got to beat everyone to get there," Steve Menzies said.

But the thing is, they haven't yet. And that remains the final frontier for this side. The Sea Eagles have lost their two encounters with the Storm since last year's decider - 26-4 in Melbourne and 16-10 at home. "We're getting a bit closer," Stewart said. "Closer than the grand final last year.

"You've just got to have the perfect game to beat them. They're just so strong across the field, from [No.]1 right through to 17. They probably deserve to be favourites.

"But we're a different team. A lot more of us have got semi-final experience now, and I think that's going to help."

Controlled and … even subdued.

"It's a different feeling in the sheds," Menzies said. "With a lot of the guys, it was their first grand final last year. It's a little bit more subdued this time. Everyone's happy that we're there, but we've still got a job to do."

As the most experienced player in the premiership, someone who began his career when Paul Keating was prime minister, Menzies talks with more authority than anyone in the side. The potential of this current batch have him even looking past Sunday's grand final - though he won't be there - as well as looking back to a time when Manly was hated and feted equally, the mid-90s.

"There's lots of similarities," Menzies said. "There's a good group of young kids coming through that are really stepping up and are going to be there for a long time at Manly, as I was many years ago.

"Sprinkle a couple of good players in, bring in the likes of Josh Perry and Heath L'Estrange to the team. In the mid-90s we played three grand finals, but I think this side's got the ability to do that as well."

Tries aplenty in PNG rout

PORT MORESBY: There were a few police gun shots, plenty of tries and an Australian team putting their names forward for World Cup selection yesterday as the Prime Minister's XIII completed a 54-30 rout of Papua New Guinea.

Led by skipper Nathan Hindmarsh, the Australian team scored 10 tries to six in an entertaining and fiery encounter at Lloyd Robson Oval that saw over 5000 pack the tiny stadium. Eels winger Jarryd Hayne and Wests Tigers youngster Chris Lawrence both bagged doubles while Robbie Farah, Michael Jennings, Joe Picker, Carl Webb, Josh Morris and Hindmarsh also scored.

PNG's co-captain Stanley Gene also scored twice, his second coming as the full-time siren sounded.

AAP