The Sea Eagles flew out of the blocks courtesy of a try to winger Jorge Taufua inside three minutes and had most of the ball for the first 15 minutes of the first half.

They managed to score again in the first half through Peta Hiku before a Jamie Lyon penalty goal sent them into the sheds leading 12-0 at the break.

However when they returned in the second half, they coughed up plenty of ball and allowed the Eels back into the contest.

"I'm pretty disappointed. I thought the boys were just doing it too easy in the first half," Toovey said.

"We probably should have been 18 or 20 points up. We came out in the second half and we played accordingly. We were 53 per cent completion in the second half, we just thought it was going to happen and a few things went Parramatta's way and got them back in the game."

The loss has opened the door for South Sydney to snatch the minor premiership from the Sea Eagles' grasp, but Toovey insists it's not his team's priority.

"I think it's a big effort to win it but I've never said it was a goal of ours," Toovey said.

"It would have been great to be there and we still are obviously in the run for that but we're not focused on that."

Manly skipper Jamie Lyon was critical of his side's inability to swing the momentum back in their favour once Parramatta had gained the ascendancy.

"There were a couple of plays that got them on a roll," Lyon said.

"We've got to realise that and try and change it. We didn't do that tonight. They won the second half and the match."