An extremely entertaining season is over for the Bulldogs, while Manly march on to week two after pulling one out of the fire late on.
Here's three things we learned from the game:
Dogs errors give Manly a genuine shot to make a run
This game had a big fight field from the outset, and the massive crowd of 50,741 gave Accor Stadium an atmosphere boost it so often craves, and that we usually only get on Origin nights. Even with two minutes to go and the Bulldogs 95 metres away from the tryline, chants of 'Bulldogs!' were still ringing around the ground, trying to will their team to victory.
The look on Daly Cherry-Evans' face as he was being interviewed after this game said it all - Manly massively got away with one.
Canterbury made mistakes in ways that they haven't for most of the year. Careless penalties in big moments, errors off the back of positive play, and most importantly, conceding a bunch of points from not many red zone opportunities.
The signs of fatigue had been there in the last couple of weeks, but feeding off the back of that raucous crowd, it was more like the Bulldogs we'd grown accustomed to in 2024. Hard, physical and at times spiteful, they aimed up at Manly's middles repeatedly and with great effect.
A somewhat fortunate try right before halftime put the game in the balance, but with a ten-point lead and half an hour to go, this was Canterbury's game to lose. The Cheery-Evans try to cut the deficit came off the back of an error at their own end, and then the match-winning try began with a Manly play-the-ball on the last tackle well inside their own half. It was a stunning moment of magic for Tolutau Koula, but one that will haunt Cameron Ciraldo's men all off season.
But what do Manly do now? At this stage, it's house money. They face a Roosters team without plenty of firepower and will give themselves every chance next weekend. A confounding team at times this year, with many impressive wins but equally puzzling losses, they could be on the verge of something special if they can find some magic for a couple more weeks.
DCE can find big plays from anywhere
Take a bow, Daly Cherry-Evans. His try got Manly back in the contest in the second half, but it was a different play late in the first that went a long way to winning them the game.
Bulldogs fans waited almost a decade for this day, and at 16-6 up with a mountain of possession, things couldn't have been better for the vast majority of the punters packed into Homebush.
But with a goal line dropout and facing another blue and white raid, Cherry-Evans smashed a dropout 80 metres, completely nullifying the good field position that Canterbury had been blessed with. Two minutes later, Manly had a try at the other end. Game over.
Dogs star men step up
A season that massively exceeded expectations may have come to an abrupt and, honestly, surprising end, but there's plenty to be proud of -- most notably the performances of their two big name recruits from recent off-season signing pushes.
Viliame Kikau was the best player on the field despite the result, and had that second half charge down bounced a different way, the Dogs likely run away with this game instead. Stephen Crichton was once again magnificent, leading from the front and supplying an extremely clever try assist to Jeral Skelton too.
Canterbury have some areas of weakness, chiefly in the middle of the field, but as long as they keep this core together, they'll prove that 2024 was no fluke.
But as for this game, despite the positives, they'll be baffled they didn't win it. A big chance goes begging with a vulnerable Roosters outfit waiting in the wings for next week.