NRL Preview: Wedding or Manly?

Author: Wayne Cousins
Timestamp: Sat 19 May 2018, 10:24 AM

Sea Eagles fans, what a tough choice you have to make tonight?

Do you sit down with a cup of tea and jam scones (and maybe a corgi by your side) to watch the Royal Wedding across almost every television network, or do you stand and scream once again with an old Steeden in your hands for Trent Barrett's men against fierce rivals, the Melbourne Storm?

After all, it's not every day you see a Prince marry an American television star, is it?
But then again, it's not every game that you see a Melbourne Storm side missing captain Cameron Smith through suspension either.

So, while Meghan walks down the aisle in front of the world's media, the Fox League cameras will be solely focused on the Sea Eagles walking up the steep tunnel of AAMI Park determined to record their fourth win of the season.

And like the Royal Wedding, there will be some stars on show. On one side, there will be some of the Storm's big guns in Billy Slater, Cameron Munster, Suliasi Vunivalu, and Josh Addo-Carr.

On the other side, there is the magnificent Trbojevic brothers in Jake and Tom, Daly Cherry-Evans, to the rampaging Martin Taupau.

Plus, the Sea Eagles welcome home a dear family member in Trent Hodkinson in his first game back in the maroon and white since 2010 after serving elsewhere.

The league world will tell you that no Cameron Smith means an almost rudderless Storm ship. They can't win without their captain, they say. As if Manly Coach Trent Barrett and his men are going to fall for that old pirate trick!

The reigning premiers boast enough strike power across the park to sink any team.

In saying that, the Sea Eagles know this is a golden opportunity to get the Storm and in doing so, record their first back-to-back wins of the season.

Can they do it? If they can play with the same energy, enthusiasm and passion as they did last week in crushing the Brisbane Broncos, then who says another 'Manly upset' can't be on the cards. Many said the Sea Eagles couldn't win in Brisbane too.

Mind you, those who love stats will tell you that Manly have lost five of their past six games in Melbourne.

Then again, those who do love figures should probably tune into the Royal Wedding.

Either way, let's hope tonight is a night when Manly fans can raise a glass and celebrate a special evening, and (victory) too!