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South Sydney need a miracle to reach the NRL play-offs after their season went from bad to worse with a 30-12 trouncing from Manly at Brookvale on Sunday.
After five consecutive defeats, the Rabbitohs were in desperate need of a win to restore confidence and keep them within touch of the top eight.
Instead, their losing streak has extended to six and they remain 16th on the competition ladder, six points adrift of the eight with seven rounds to play.
They will probably need to win at least six of their remaining fixtures if they hope to qualify for the post-season.
Manly, in contrast, have now banked back-to-back wins and climbed from 10th on the points table to eighth.
Playing in front of their club legends and a bumper crowd of 17,298 on Old Boys Day, the Sea Eagles led 14-0 after a rugged first half highlighted by some brutal defence from both sides.
Manly celebrate a try against Souths on Sunday.Credit: Getty Images
It took the home side 17 minutes to open their account, after a couple of repeat sets put them on the attack deep in Souths’ territory.
The Sea Eagles spun the ball from the right edge to the left, where winger Reuben Garrick finished off in the corner.
Ten minutes later, stand-in Souths fullback Alex Johnston fumbled a Daly Cherry-Evans bomb, and Manly regained possession. After a quick play-the-ball, Cherry-Evans passed to Tom Trbojevic, who dived over from close range.
The Sea Eagles rammed home their advantage in the 31st minute when Garrick made it a double after cutting back inside and exposing the Rabbitohs’ right-edge defence.
Tolutau Koula spies open space against Souths.Credit: Getty Images
The Rabbitohs’ only real scoring opportunity in the first half came in the 35th minute, when winger Tyrone Mundine touched down after a Jamie Humphreys bomb, only for the bunker to detect a Campbell Graham knock-on as he flew high to contest the kick.
Manly extended their lead two minutes after the resumption when Trbojevic skirted across field and zoomed through a gap to score his second try of the game, and only his third of the season.
They surged further ahead in the 52nd minute when Cherry-Evans backed up a Jason Saab break to score, celebrating the try by pulling up a corner post and pretending to use it as a walking stick.
New signing Brandon Smith started the game at hooker for Souths, his first appearance since undergoing a knee reconstruction at the Sydney Roosters last season.
The Kiwi international opened with a 20-minute stint before he was interchanged.
He returned to the fray for the final 20 minutes, this time playing at lock, and had a hand in Souths’ first try, scored by back-rower Tallis Duncan.
Duncan was in again three minutes later, making it back-to-back braces, after he also scored a double in the 50-28 loss to the Dolphins in Souths’ previous game.
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A 77th-minute try by Souths winger Isaiah Tass added a touch of respectability to the scoreline, but the winning margin would have been even larger except for a rare off day with the boot by Garrick, who landed only three of six conversion attempts.
Centre Tolutau Koula, who was a constant threat to Souths’ defence, was rewarded with a runaway try after a fumble in the 78th minute.
Smith limped from the field five minutes from full-time after his left leg was trapped underneath Manly prop Matt Lodge in an awkward tackle.
It was his right knee that required reconstructive surgery last year.
Manly’s main concern was a leg injury that forced Saab from the field midway through the second half.
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