Manly’s NRL season is hanging by a thread after they were beaten 26-24 by Newcastle on Sunday to drop four points outside of the top eight.
Enari Tuala scored two tries for the Knights while Kalyn Ponga again starred in the win, to move them one step closer to their first finals series since 2013.
The only issue was another knee injury for Daniel Saifiti, who left the field in the first half and didn’t return in his comeback game from a similar injury.
The story couldn’t be any more dire for the Sea Eagles.
Seventh on the ladder when Tom Trbojevic was injured in round six, they have won just two of their eight games since.
With a poor for and against record, Des Hasler’s men will likely need to win at least five of their last six to make the finals.
Next week’s clash with South Sydney shapes as crucial.
Manly were dogged on Sunday without starting props Martin Taupau and Addin Fonua Blake.
Trbojevic’s replacement at fullback Brendan Elliot suffered a knee injury and played just 20 minutes while five-eighth Cade Cust battled knee and ankle injuries.
Manly led 12-0 early but endured a nightmare 20 minutes before halftime after Elliot’s injury.
Newcastle dominated the ball, controlling 71 per cent of it and scoring three tries.
After Ponga and Mitchell Pearce combined for the Knights’ first, Kurt Mann grabbed a try out of dummy-half to level the scores before Tuala crossed to give the hosts a 16-12 advantage at the main break.
When Hymel Hunt made it 20-12 just after the break, the Knights looked in control.
Again the roller coaster set in.
Jack Gosiewki scored for Manly from a Daly Cherry-Evans grubber before Lachlan Croker was the beneficiary of Taniela Paseka and Sean Keppie’s power in the middle.
But Newcastle wouldn’t relent.
Tualia landed the knockout blow when he beat Manly’s defence from 20m out with eight minutes to play.
The victory lifted the Knights to sixth, just one point off the NRL’s top four.