It's not often Michael Ennis doesn't get the last laugh. The NRL's No.1 niggler usually gets his target.

Unfortunately he made himself the target after a brain explosion that handed Manly a try to level the game. Leading 16-12, Ennis was in the right place at the right time to catch a grubber.

The only problem was he dropped the ball and then swatted it away for Manly to level the scores. It led to an Ennis-esque head pat and spray from Justin Horo. But it says a lot about the man when he can make a potentially match turning mistake and respond with four big tackles in the next set as his count neared 50 to help his team gain the field position to kick not one but two field goals.

It speaks volumes. Just like in a pre-game left side versus right side drill the Bulldogs had six players on either side.

They went through some of their pet plays. Their signature moves. But there was only one man who played for both teams. Player number 13, who wears the No.9, Michael Ennis. He was literally the man in the middle of everything. And that showed in the way he played. From the moment he sprinted out of the sheds he was determined not to make this his final game in the famous blue and white.

A bullet pass to Tim Lafai for the first break, a grubber kick for a repeat set and his usual solid defence around the ruck. Funnily enough the man who doesn't mind a chat was confined to listening more often than not in the first part of the game.

Trainer Tony Grimaldi - the onfield mouth piece of coach Des Hasler - had his attention walking back to halfway as they opened up a handy lead.

For all intensive purposes Ennis "the niggler" had a rostered day off. There was the exaggerated hand clap when Daly Cherry-Evans punted one into the crowd. He was it again not long after when Cherry-Evans dropped one cold on the last tackle.

But there were no head taps or targeted attempt to unsettle one player. Even the referees had a relatively quiet night from Ennis the menace. His first major contribution came when a replay flashed Josh Starling throwing a punch at Josh Jackson. "No way, no way he's got to go," Ennis barked at Gerard Sutton and Ben Cummins. And for once, the captain got his way as Starling was sent to the sin bin. He didn't always get it particularly right in the first half.

There was the missed tackle on Cherry-Evans that almost led to a try. And then a poor kick when the Bulldogs were pressing for another try. The half ended on a bad note personally for Ennis when his opposite number strolled over for a try. It's a bit like when a spinner gets a fellow a spinner out in cricket: it's not taken well.

It led to Ennis having a quite word to Sutton  on the way off to sheds. "Just watch the hand on the ball," Ennis mentioned politely.

There was more chatter from Ennis in the second half.

"He was on the ground," Ennis said to Cummins when they lost possession early in the half

Cummins' replied: "I disagree."

It didn't stop Ennis from trying. He instead reverted to actions as he tried to milk a penalty with an academy award-winning dive after a kick and then applauded a Bulldogs penalty.

"Cut it out; its not needed," Cummins quickly said to him.