Daly Cherry-Evans has piloted Manly to within touching distance of their first NRL finals series in three years, leading the Sea Eagles to a 24-10 win over the Warriors.

On a wet and wild night at Brookvale, Cherry-Evans showed every bit of his 324 games of experience to prove the difference for Manly.

Tom Trbojevic also impressed with one try and two assists, but showed some small concern over his pectoral muscle late in the game.

The Manly fullback remained on the field until fulltime, but the Sea Eagles will be desperately hoping there is no serious concern over his long-term fitness.

The victory did not come easily for Manly, however, with a spectacular Dallin Watene-Zelezniak put-down forcing a 10-10 halftime deadlock that lasted until the 54th minute.

The win moves momentarily moves Manly to fifth, all but assured of a finals finish and keeping some hope alive of reaching the top four if Cronulla stumble.

The Warriors' season is now officially over, after last year's fairytale team entered Friday night needing something of a mathematical miracle to make the finals.

Ultimately, the difference was Cherry-Evans, who got one over his old 2011 grand final rival Shaun Johnson in their last game against each other.

And just as that game finished 24-10 in Manly's favour, so too did this one.

The Warriors dominated field position for the majority of the game, most notably in the opening nine minutes when Manly couldn't get the ball past their own 30-metre line.

But after the Warriors squandered multiple opportunities, it was Cherry-Evans who kicked on the third tackle for a 40-20 to put Manly on the attack for their first try.

Manly's crucial go-ahead try to break the deadlock in the second half also came through Cherry-Evans' boot, when the halfback kicked across field for a leaping Reuben Garrick to score.

Cherry-Evans' smarts also shone through during torrential second-half rain, at one point putting a short grubber-kick in and pushing Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad out as he dived on the ball.

Luke Brooks also had good moments ahead of his return to Leichhardt next week, putting on Manly's best try of the match when he turned a ball back inside for Tommy Talau in the first half.

That allowed Talau to break into clear space from within his own end, before Trbojevic loomed up on the inside to finish the movement.

Manly centre Garrick ended the night on report for a late hip drop, while Nathan Brown could also be in trouble for a shoulder charge.

The Sea Eagles have now won five of their past six games, and suddenly loom as genuine threats to the top teams in this year's finals.

AAP