The Sydney Roosters' unbeaten start to the NRL season is over after Dylan Walker bagged a late double to gift Manly an 18-12 victory at Allianz Stadium.
Three weeks ago a club in turmoil, the Sea Eagles claimed their third successive scalp on Friday night to announce themselves as a side to watch early in the competition.
Walker was also back to his best.
He broke a 49-minute 6-6 deadlock in the 67th minute when Blake Green grubbered for him to score his first.
Then after Mitchell Pearce hit back when he carried four Manly forwards over the line to level the scores with 10 minutes to play, Walker landed the knockout punch.
Running on to a Brian Kelly pass, he dashed away 40 metres to score the match-winning try.
"He's doing well," Manly coach Trent Barrett said.
"That was two special tries that not a lot of individuals could have scored."
In a tough and gritty match at a wet Allianz Stadium, the Roosters were also dealt a significant blow when they lost Queensland Origin contender Dylan Napa in the 18th minute.
The uncompromising young prop did not return after suffering a suspected ankle syndesmosis.
"Losing a player like Dylan in one of those sort of tight battles, the go-forward battles," Roosters coach Trent Robinson lamented in the post-match.
"It's just an ankle sprain. I'm not sure how bad. It's not the end of the world but it's not good either."
Manly, who drifted close to wooden spoon favouritism after starting the season with two successive losses, are flying off the back of the performances of youngsters and unaccomplished recruits.
They beat an undermanned North Queensland 30-8 in Townsville before dismantling Canterbury 36-0 at Lottoland last weekend, but Friday's win was easily their most credentialed.
"We have to play as a team to win," Barrett said.
"We can't rely on individuals. We have to play together and we did that again.
"We've got a lot of young blokes in our side who haven't played in games like that before. It's a big confidence builder for them."
The Roosters had their chances to take the lead in the final 10 minutes before Walker's 79th-minute try.
They fumbled a ball when they looked set to score on the left wing and Pearce missed two shots at field goal.
His first was charged down by Apisai Korisau and he miscued the next from right in front in the ensuring repeat set.
Cherry-Evans also missed a shot from close range, but it ended up mattering little.
Earlier, Shaun Kenny-Dowall grabbed the first try of the night in the 14th minute but the Trbojevic brothers combined for Manly to hit back.
Jake slipped an offload after a powerful burst, then Tom threw a long pass to a wide-running Jorge Taufua to make it 6-6 - the way it stayed until the frantic final 13 minutes.
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