An overseas trip against a desperate side combined with no football in a fortnight is the challenge facing the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in the Jersey Flegg Cup on Saturday, April 13.
With two wins from four matches, the ninth placed Sea Eagles travel to Auckland on Friday to tackle a winless Warriors side on the bottom of the ladder.
The Warriors game will be the first match in a fortnight for the Sea Eagles after last week's Jersey Flegg game against Penrith was postponed due to inclement weather.
The Sea Eagles will be looking to bounce back after a poor first half proved costly in their last start 30-28 loss to St George-Illawarra Dragons in Gerringong.
The Dragons dominated the first half to lead 22-8 at the break before the Sea Eagles fought back well to level up twice only to fall at the final hurdle.
Match: Warriors v Sea Eagles
Round 6 -
home Team
Warriors
13th Position
away Team
Sea Eagles
8th Position
Venue: Go Media Stadium, Auckland
"Our attention to detail let us down at stages against the Dragons. We need to identify as a playing group where we need to be better in doing our individual roles to benefit the team and get the result we're after,'' said Manly Coach Scott Kenna.
"The Dragons played their style of football in the first half because we were off with our discipline. We turned it around in the second half and were the better team but we couldn't hold them out in the dying stages.
"I was very happy with the resilience to get back in the game and to be a in position to win after being 14 points down at half-time."
The Sea Eagles welcome back second-rower Max Hayley and centre Ethan Hutchings from injury for the Warriors match, pushing Nicholas Lenaz and Caleb Nevale back to their preferred positions of hooker and lock respectively.
"The team has trained well this week with plenty of energy thanks to the extended break as well as the excitement of playing a game in New Zealand,'' Kenna added.
"We need to take our energy and excitement into the game."
Kick-off against the Warriors at Go Media Stadium is 12.45pm (NZ time).
