Manly Warringah Sea Eagles will be looking to build on their fine momentum from their win over Canberra when they tackle Newcastle on Sunday in Round 13 of the Telstra Premiership.
The Sea Eagles tackle the Knights at McDonald Jones Stadium with three grades being played on the day.
The Form
The Sea Eagles produced their best display of the season in a dominant 42-14 victory over the Canberra Raiders at GIO Stadium last Sunday to end a three-game losing streak.
Manly ran in eight tries to two, led by full-back Tom Trbojevic with a scintillating hat-trick. The win sees the Sea Eagles in ninth spot, one point outside the top eight.
The Knights are coming off a 26-6 loss to Cronulla Sharks and sit in 12th place.
Team Changes
Wednesday night’s opening State of Origin match will see the Sea Eagles without Daly Cherry-Evans and Tom Trbojevic, and Tyson Frizell for the Knights.
Hooker Lachlan Croker has been appointed Manly captain in the absence of Cherry-Evans.
The Sea Eagles have named new signing Jake Arthur in their 22 man squad with Cooper Johns chosen at half-back to partner Josh Schuster. Kaeo Weekes has been selected at full-back to cover Trbojevic.
Toff Sipley returns from suspension to replace the injured Jake Trbojevic (calf).
Ben Trbojevic will also miss the game after picking up a hamstring injury against the Raiders.
Manly will field a side without a Trbojevic brother in their line-up for the first time since they played St George-Illawarra in Round 18, 2021.
See the current Sea Eagle side here
Head-to-Head
Manly and Newcastle have faced off 58 times since the Knights entered the first grade competition in 1987.
The Sea Eagles have recorded 35 wins, 22 losses, and one draw.
Last Time We Met
The Sea Eagles and the Knights drew 32-all in Mudgee in round five this season.
Newcastle winger Dominic Young scored four tries in a match that saw nine different try scorers across both teams. Six field goal attempts wasn’t enough to determine a winner.
Stat Attack
Sea Eagles second-rower Haumole Olakau’atu has scored a try in his past three games against the Knights.
Winger Reuben Garrick slotted five goals from eight attempts against the Raiders, seeing him move up to seventh place on the leaderboard for most points scored with 86. Garrick has been in fine form this season, scoring five tries and converting 33 goals.
Nine players hit double digits for tackles made, with hooker Lachlan Croker leading the way with 41.
Manly prop Taniela Paseka finished with 229 metres from 20 runs in a monstrous effort and sits fifth on the NRL list for most post contact metres this season.
He will go head to head with Knights prop Daniel Saifiti, who will make his 150th NRL appearance.
Match Day Information
McDonald Jones Stadium
Jersey Flegg: 11.30am, NSW Cup 1.35pm, NRL: 4.05pm
