ital clash awaits Sea Eagles against Roosters

Author: Wayne Cousins
Timestamp: Wed 2 Aug 2023, 08:41 AM

It's shaping up to be a Thursday night blockbuster when the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles tackle the Sydney Roosters at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

With just five rounds remaining of the regular season, the round 23 match is another vital game for the Sea Eagles in their charge towards the Telstra Premiership finals.

Team news

Winger Raymond Tuaimalo Vaega comes into the team to replace the injured Christian Tuipulotu (knee). Ben Trbojevic returns to the team for his first game back from a hamstring injury.

Prop Sean Keppie will miss the Roosters match with a back spasm with the club aiming to having him fit for next week's clash against Penrith.

Round 23 - Round 23 - Thursday 3 Aug

Full Time

Roosters

Sea Eagles

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Roosters is number 1 James Tedesco

Fullback for Sea Eagles is number 1 Reuben Garrick
Winger for Roosters is number 2 Daniel Tupou

Winger for Sea Eagles is number 2 Jason Saab
Centre for Roosters is number 3 Billy Smith

Centre for Sea Eagles is number 3 Brad Parker
Centre for Roosters is number 4 Joseph Manu

Centre for Sea Eagles is number 4 Tolutau Koula
Winger for Roosters is number 5 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii

Winger for Sea Eagles is number 5 Raymond Tuaimalo Vaega
Five-Eighth for Roosters is number 6 Luke Keary

Five-Eighth for Sea Eagles is number 6 Joshua Schuster
Halfback for Roosters is number 14 Drew Hutchison

Halfback for Sea Eagles is number 7 Daly Cherry-Evans

Forwards

Prop for Roosters is number 8 Jared Waerea-Hargreaves

Prop for Sea Eagles is number 8 Toafofoa Sipley
Hooker for Roosters is number 9 Brandon Smith

Hooker for Sea Eagles is number 9 Lachlan Croker
Prop for Roosters is number 10 Lindsay Collins

Prop for Sea Eagles is number 10 Matthew Lodge
2nd Row for Roosters is number 11 Siua Wong

2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 11 Haumole Olakau'atu
2nd Row for Roosters is number 12 Nat Butcher

2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 12 Kelma Tuilagi
Lock for Roosters is number 13 Victor Radley

Lock for Sea Eagles is number 13 Jake Trbojevic

Interchange

Interchange for Roosters is number 7 Sandon Smith

Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 14 Ben Trbojevic
Interchange for Roosters is number 15 Nathan Brown

Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 15 Aaron Woods
Interchange for Roosters is number 16 Terrell May

Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 16 Dean Matterson
Interchange for Roosters is number 17 Fletcher Baker

Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 17 Ethan Bullemor

Reserves

Replacement for Roosters is number 21 Fetalaiga Pauga

Replacement for Sea Eagles is number 19 Jake Arthur

Match Officials

Referee: Ashley Klein
Touch Judge: Kasey Badger
Touch Judge: Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski
Senior Review Official: Grant Atkins

Last updated: 9/7/2024 12:25:56 PM

Ladder

The Sea Eagles sit in 10th place on 25 points, just one point behind the eighth-placed Cowboys. The Roosters are back in 14th position on 22 points.

Last Time We Met

The Sea Eagles recorded a tough 18-16 win over the Roosters at 4 Pines Park in round 18 on July 2, with Manly captain Daly Cherry-Evans turning in another fine performance with two tries in front of a full house at home.

Both teams scored three tries each with the accurate boot of Reuben Garrick proving the difference in the end.

Cherry-Evans has scored four tries in his last four games against the Roosters.

The Sea Eagles have not beaten the Roosters twice in a season since 2017.

At the SCG

The Sea Eagles have lost their last two matches against the Sydney Roosters at the SCG, going down 26-12 last year and 46-4 in 2021.

The Roosters have won six of their past nine games against the Sea Eagles but records are meant to be broken, just like that 20-year 'hoodoo' against the Dragons in Wollongong last weekend.

100 Club Games for 'Crokes'

Less than a week after bringing up 100 NRL games, hooker Lachlan Croker will play his 100th Club game for the Sea Eagles.

Croker has scored 17 tries in his 99 games for Manly with the hard-working, crafty hooker having made an astonishing 3,094 tackles for just 266 missed in his six seasons at the Sea Eagles.

A victory over the Roosters, and perhaps a try, would cap off a magical past week for the respected Croker, who takes nothing for granted each time he wears the Manly number nine jersey.

Old is new again

Prop Matthew Lodge will come up against his former Sydney Roosters team-mates for the first time since joining the Sea Eagles.

Lodge's experience and toughness up front has been invaluable in his two NRL appearances for Manly after being released by the Roosters.

His arrival at Manly can now be seen as a masterstroke following injuries to fellow props Taniela Paseka and Josh Aloiai.

Gotcha4Life Cup

Thursday night's match will mark the second clash between the Sea Eagles and the Roosters for the Gotcha4Life Cup, won last year by the Roosters.

Gotcha4Life Cup highlights the important message of building mental fitness, and help to give people the tools to openly talk about their feelings and experiences.

Sea Eagles' Premier Partner, Shaw and Partners Financial Services, have again donated $100,000 to Gotcha4Life, as well as giving up their sternum branding for Gotcha4Life for this game.

The Sea Eagles will auction the player issued jerseys after the game with all proceeds going to Gotcha4Life.

Match Day times

Gates Open: 5.30pm

NRLW (Sydney Roosters v St George Illawarra Dragons): 5.40pm

NRL (Sydney Roosters v Manly Warringah Sea Eagles): 7.50pm