Ben Hunt labelled it a “Barry Crocker of a kick” but it was enough to get St George Illawarra out of a jail with a thrilling 12-10 win over Manly in Wollongong.

After the Dragons trailed 10-8 with three minutes to go, Hunt stepped up when it mattered to save the Saints against the Sea Eagles.

The Queensland State of Origin utility grubber-kicked for chasing winger Mikaele Ravalawa to cross in the right-hand corner, saving the day for the Dragons.

“It was a Barry Croker of a kick, it got a little bit lucky I think,” Hunt said.

Manly had a chance to win it in the dying seconds with captain Daly Cherry-Evans claiming the chasing Reuben Garrick was taken off the ball on the last play of the game.

It came after Manly centre Brad Parker had minutes earlier been penalised for taking Euan Aitken off the ball, only for Tim Lafai to miss a shot at penalty goal that would’ve tied the scores at 10-10.

“It was black and white, there an escort, a player taken off the ball,” Cherry-Evans complained to referee David Munro.

“You were willing to make the hard call when game wasn’t on the line but unfortunately that call needed to be made.”

It had however come after a kicking masterclass from Hunt and halves partner Corey Norman.

Hunt had earlier also grubber-kicked for the Dragons’ first try, which Matt Dufty ran onto in the 17th minute.

The pair forced three line dropouts between them to control the game in the first half, while on four other occasions they had repeat sets with Manly’s backs unable to handle their kicking game.

Hunt admitted this week he was still hopeful of wearing the Maroons No.7 jersey ahead of Cherry-Evans.

However, the Manly halfback had also been just as good for the Sea Eagles, as he set up one try and scored another.

He hit Brad Parker with a flat ball before the break to cut the deficit to four, before being the beneficiary of a tunnel ball from rookie Corey Waddell to give Manly an unlikely 10-8 lead before Hunt’s late heroics.