Manly have celebrated Kieran Foran's coronation as Sea Eagles head coach by moving into the NRL's top four with a 28-14 win over South Sydney.
Foran was rewarded with a permanent deal on Tuesday after resuscitating Manly's season and now has eight wins from his first 10 games in charge following Thursday's victory over the Bunnies.
Brookvale Oval - or Four Pines Park as it is known for sponsorship reasons - was renamed Foz Pines Park for one night only in tribute to Manly's new coach as his side moved up to third on the NRL ladder.
"On the way here, everywhere I drove had 'Fozball', 'Foz Pines', Kieran Foran Chicken so I'm like, 'jeez, we better play good," said Manly skipper Jake Trbojevic. "There was a lot going on but it was a really good performance."
Led by rampaging NSW State of Origin back-rower Haumole Olakau'atu, who clocked up 234m from 22 carries, the Sea Eagles claimed their fourth consecutive home win.
And in more encouraging news for Blues coach Laurie Daley ahead of Origin game two in Melbourne on June 17, Manly flyer Tolu Koula also emerged unscathed.
The Sea Eagles received dispensation to have the 23-year-old line up against the Rabbitohs following his concussion in game one and Koula played at both centre and fullback after Clayton Faulalo spent time in the sinbin and went off with a hamstring injury.
Olakau'atu failed to finish the game with cramp, Foran said, reiterating that Tom Trbojevic would be back on deck in a fortnight's time.
"It's good timing now with Clayton doing a low-grade strain," Foran said. "We'll let everyone rest up over the bye and then get ready for Canterbury."
Souths, meanwhile, plunged to their third-straight defeat and have just one win since Latrell Mitchell was ruled out with a back injury.
Mitchell is not due back for at least another three weeks and Souths' attack - they have not scored more than 20 points in their last three games - is without a focal point.
Bunnies coach Wayne Bennett was furious with a three-minute spell in the second half. Edward Kosi had a try chalked off by the bunker and then Manly's Faulalo scored off what the Souths coach claimed was an incorrect play-the-ball by Ben Trbojevic.
"We spend all this money on the bunker and we still don't get it right," Bennett fumed. "We're not going to use that as an excuse but the bottom line is that's what they (the bunker) are there for. They play the ball, they've got to go back to the play the ball because a try was scored and that was all in the one movement. And if that's an acceptable play the ball, then the game is going to change enormously really quickly. It's gone now, I can't bring it back, so I'm not going to carry on about it. The game will have an excuse for it, so you've just got to live with it."
Souths threatened to upset Foran's party when Keaon Koloamatangi scored after 11 minutes. Latrell Siegwalt converted and then added a penalty after Faulalo was sent to the sinbin for a professional foul.
Down to 12, Manly didn't panic and hit back through winger Jason Saab after a beautiful tip-on pass from Reuben Garrick. Lehi Hopoate then crossed to put Manly 10-8 ahead at the break.
The home side pushed ahead when Faulalo - playing through the pain of a hamstring strain - darted through some retreating Bunnies defence off the play-the-ball that drew Bennett's ire. Faulalo trudged off after scoring but Manly showed no signs of slowing down with Ben Trbojevic barging over from close range.
David Fifita jagged one back for the Bunnies but Saab added his second with a well-taken finish eight minutes from time to wrap up another victory for Foran.
