Rd 16 Preview: Sea Eagles vs Thunderbolts

Author: Ricky Newell
Timestamp: Thu 30 Jun 2022, 03:05 PM

Manly Warringah Sea Eagles will be looking to possibly move into the top eight in the NSWRL Jersey Flegg Cup competition at 4 Pines Park tonight.

The Sea Eagles tackle the Victoria Thunderbolts in a vital round 16 match prior to the NRL clash between Manly and the Melbourne Storm.

With seven rounds and a bye remaining before the finals, the Sea Eagles sit in 10th position on 12 competition points, just two points behind the eighth-placed Thunderbolts.

Both teams have won five matches this season.

The Sea Eagles head into the game on the back of a superb comeback win against South Sydney Rabbitohs at 4 Pines Park.

Manly showed true grit and determination to fight back from a 16-6 deficit at halftime to defeat the Rabbitohs 30-26 with hooker and captain Gordon Chan Kun Tong scoring a double.

The Sea Eagles celebrate Jason Smyth's try in their last start win over South Sydney ©Manly Media

The two sides met in late May in Round 12, with the Victorians claiming a 32-18 victory on their home ground at Cranbourne.

On that day, Jason Smyth, Fletcher Myers and Flynn Angles-Corke scored Manly’s tries and they were in with a chance with the scores locked at 12-all at half-time.

Unfortunately, the Thunderbolts came out firing and scored three second half tries to snatch the win.

The Sea Eagles and the Thunderbolts aren’t strangers to a close match. In 2021, Manly won their first encounter 30-25 thanks to two tries from winger Raymond Tuaimalo Vaega. The second match a month later ended in a 19-all draw.