Sea Eagles out to secure home final at 4 Pines Park
Manly's final regular home game of the season is shaping up to be one of the biggest blockbusters of 2024 when the Sea Eagles tackle the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks at 4 Pines Park on Sunday, September 8.
A Sea Eagles victory over the Sharks in front of another sold out 4 Pines Park will see Manly secure a home final in the opening week of the Telstra Premiership.
Manly could finish either fifth or sixth subject to the result of Saturday's clash between the Bulldogs and Cowboys.
The Sea Eagles will play the loser of that match in the sudden-death elimination final.
A draw between Canterbury and North Queensland opens up the possibility of the Sea Eagles rising to fifth on the ladder.
Team News
Sea Eagles: Tolu Koula gets the nod at fullback to take over from Tom Trbojevic (shoulder), who is hopeful of missing just the one week with a shoulder injury. Clayton Faulalo comes in on the wing for Jason Saab (ankle). Ben Trbojevic has been added to the bench after he was 18th man last week.
Match: Sea Eagles v Sharks
Round 27 -
home Team
Sea Eagles
7th Position
away Team
Sharks
4th Position
Venue: 4 Pines Park, Sydney
Match Details
12.30pm: Gates open
2pm: NRL Kick-Off
The match is a sell-out.
Match Officials
Referee: Adam Gee
Touch Judge: Matt Noyen
Senior Review Official: Wyatt Raymond
Form Guide
Ladder position: Sea Eagles 7th (33 points); Sharks 4th (36 points)
Head to Head since 1998 (NRL era): Played 37: Sea Eagles 24, Sharks 13
Last Round: Sea Eagles 34 d Bulldogs 22; Warriors 30 d Sharks 28
Past five games record: Sea Eagles 3 wins, Sharks 4 wins
Points Scored this season: Sea Eagles 614, Sharks 613
Points Conceded this season: Sea Eagles 481, Sharks 411
Wins at this venue: Sea Eagles 153/247 (62%), Sharks 5/17 (29%)
Home sweet home
The 'Fortress' has been well and truly rebuilt in season 2024.
The Sea Eagles have won eight from nine home games at 4 Pines Park this season.
Furthermore, the Sharks match means eight out of 10 home games at Brookvale have been sold out this season, a staggering effort by the club, players and supporters.
Just under 150,000 fans have come through the turnstiles at 4 Pines Park this season leading into Sunday's game.
Not a happy hunting ground
The Sharks may have won their last two games at 4 Pines Park but Brookvale has been far from a happy hunting ground for the boys from Cronulla.
Of the 17 games played here, the Sharks have won just five.
Steve Rogers Memorial Trophy up for grabs
The legacy of one of rugby league's greatest players will again be remembered at 4 Pines Park on Sunday.
The Sea Eagles and the Sharks will play for the annual Steve Rogers Memorial Trophy played for each time the two clubs meet.
Rogers played 202 first grade games for Cronulla and led the Sharks in the 1978 grand final and grand final replay against the Sea Eagles. He had many good friends at the Sea Eagles in Immortal Bob Fulton and Max Krilich through the Kangaroos tours.
Manly has won 21 of the 29 premiership matches contested for the Steve Rogers Memorial Trophy, including nine of the last 13 games played.
The thrilling 30-26 win over the Sharks last year in round 21 saw the Sea Eagles reclaim the trophy for the first time since 2021.
Overall, the Sea Eagles have won 68 of the 98 premiership matches played against the Sharks for 28 losses and two draws.
Reuben's Closing in
Reuben Garrick could pass another great points scoring milestone in his career on Sunday.
Garrick sits on 1148 points and needs just 11 points to pass Bob Batty into third place on the record list for Most Points for Manly.
He will then only be behind record leader Graham Eadie (1917 points) and Jamie Lyon (1410).
Garrick has scored an incredible 77 tries and kicked 420 goals in 133 games for Manly since his NRL/Club debut in 2019.
