ELMO Match Preview: Sea Eagles vs Bulldogs
Sunday afternoon footy returns for the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles when Des Hasler's men take on a great old rival in the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in Redcliffe.
Let’s take a look at some of the key facts heading into the Round 24 match on Sunday, August 29. Kick-off is 1.50pm.
Ladder
The Sea Eagles sit in fifth place and just one win behind the fourth placed Sydney Roosters, who tackle the third placed Rabbitohs.
Victories by the Rabbitohs and the Sea Eagles will see Manly move into fourth spot on a better points differential record. Manly enter Round 24 with a 47- point differential on the Roosters.
The Sea Eagles will be out to maintain their intensity just two weeks out from the finals against the bottom placed Bulldogs who have already claimed the wooden spoon.
The venue
Moreton Daily Stadium has been the home ground of the Redcliffe Dolphins Rugby League Club for over 70 years.
Named after a community news website for the Moreton Bay Region, some Manly fans have cheekily changed the name to Moreton 'Daly' Stadium in honour of our great captain and half-back, who was born in Redcliffe and started playing rugby league for the Dolphins at the age of five.
The Sea Eagles will finally get the chance to play in Redcliffe after their original clash against the Sharks late last month was moved.
Form
Manly have won five of their past six matches, playing some brilliant attacking play along the way.
Last week, the Sea Eagles overcame an error riddled first half against Canberra to find their true form in attack before a Daly Cherry-Evans field goal proved the difference in a 19-18 win.
The Bulldogs fought hard in a 22-16 loss to the Newcastle Knights and will be looking to get in a grind with Manly to stop the Sea Eagles lethal attacking machine. Canterbury have lost their past eight matches.
Team Changes
Tom Trbojevic (cheekbone) and Brad Parker (concussion) return for the Sea Eagles after missing last week's win over the Raiders.
Last Time We Met
It turned out to be a multiple record-breaking performance when the Sea Eagles beat the Bulldogs 66-0 win at Bankwest Stadium in Round 16 in July.
The Sea Eagles ran in 11 tries with winger Reuben Garrick kicking 11 from 11 goals.
On a day of sheer dominance, the Sea Eagles set the following records:
- Recorded their biggest ever win in the Club’s 75 year history
- Garrick equalled the Manly Club records of Ron Rowles (1954) and Matthew Ridge (1996) for most points in a match with 30;
- Garrick equalled Mike Eden and Matthew Ridge with 11 goals in a match.
Head-to-Head
147 games: Manly 76, Canterbury 65, drawn 6
The Last 5
The Sea Eagles have won the last five matches against the Bulldogs, dating back to round 22, 2018.
Current Manly Coach Des Hasler oversaw Canterbury's last win against Manly in round 24, 2017.
Club Records
Jason Saab, Reuben Garrick and Tom Trbojevic are close to entering the top 10 list of players on the ‘Most Tries in A Season’ for Manly.
Bob Fulton, John Hopoate, Scott Donald and Brett Stewart round out the current list with 21 tries each in a season.
Saab and Garrick head into the Bulldogs match on 20 tries with brilliant full-back Tom Trbojevic on 19 tries.
Phil Blake holds the record of 27 for most tries in a season set in 1983.
Meanwhile, Garrick is just three points behind Daly Cherry-Evans (569) on the list of players to score more than 500 points for Manly.
Garrick is also just 12 points behind the great Michael O’Connor (578) who sits in ninth position on the list.
