After calling Central Coast Stadium 'home' for the past five weeks the Sea Eagles return to their spiritual nest at Brookvale this weekend for what shapes as a ripping clash with their old sparring partners Newcastle.
Ever since Mark Carroll and Paul Harragon were locking horns in the 90s and Darren Albert broke Manly hearts in one of the all-time great grand finals, the Sea Eagles and Knights have taken great delight in tearing into each other and leaving nothing in reserve.
Manly had the wood on Newcastle in their two clashes in 2019 and would love to make it a hat-trick but without Tom Trbojevic and Dylan Walker they'll be stretched to the limit by a Knights side desperate to rebound from a listless performance against the Cowboys.
Match: Sea Eagles v Knights
Round 8 -
home Team
Sea Eagles
10th Position
away Team
Knights
4th Position
Venue: 4 Pines Park, Sydney
The Rundown
Team news
Sea Eagles: Manly are 1-17 with Morgan Boyle and Brendan Elliott the match-day omissions. Moses Suli (finger) returns in place of Elliot. Martin Taupau has again been named in the starting side ahead of Sean Keppie, but the pair swapped spots last week.
Abbas Miski and Haumole Olakau'atu dropped out of the extended squad 24 hours before kick-off. The Sea Eagles have won nine of their past 11 games against the Knights.
Knights: Newcastle are also 1-17 with Tautau Moga and Brodie Jones the final cuts from their match-day line-up. Best returns at centre after a week in quarantine in place of Gehamat Shibasaki. In the pack, Herman Ese'ese starts at lock with Tim Glasby out after failing a HIA last week and Pasami Saulo called up on the bench.
Phoenix Crossland and Josh King were omitted from the initial 21-man squad on Saturday. The Knights have won only one of their past nine games at Lottoland.
Match: Sea Eagles v Knights
Round 8 -
home Team
Sea Eagles
away Team
Knights
Team Lists
Backs
-
Fullback for Sea Eagles is number 1 Reuben GarrickFullback for Knights is number 1 Kalyn Ponga
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Winger for Sea Eagles is number 2 Jorge TaufuaWinger for Knights is number 2 Edrick Lee
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Centre for Sea Eagles is number 3 Brad ParkerCentre for Knights is number 3 Enari Tuala
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Centre for Sea Eagles is number 4 Moses SuliCentre for Knights is number 4 Bradman Best
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Winger for Sea Eagles is number 5 Tevita FunaWinger for Knights is number 5 Hymel Hunt
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Five-Eighth for Sea Eagles is number 6 Lachlan CrokerFive-Eighth for Knights is number 6 Kurt Mann
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Halfback for Sea Eagles is number 7 Daly Cherry-EvansHalfback for Knights is number 7 Mitchell Pearce
Forwards
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Prop for Sea Eagles is number 8 Addin Fonua-BlakeProp for Knights is number 8 David Klemmer
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Hooker for Sea Eagles is number 9 Danny LeviHooker for Knights is number 9 Andrew McCullough
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Prop for Sea Eagles is number 10 Martin TaupauProp for Knights is number 10 Daniel Saifiti
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2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 11 Joel Thompson2nd Row for Knights is number 11 Lachlan Fitzgibbon
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2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 12 Curtis Sironen2nd Row for Knights is number 12 Sione Mata'utia
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Lock for Sea Eagles is number 13 Jake TrbojevicLock for Knights is number 13 Herman Ese'ese
Interchange
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Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 14 Cade CustInterchange for Knights is number 14 Tex Hoy
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Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 15 Jack GosiewskiInterchange for Knights is number 15 Jacob Saifiti
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Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 16 Sean KeppieInterchange for Knights is number 16 Aidan Guerra
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Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 17 Taniela PasekaInterchange for Knights is number 17 Pasami Saulo
Match Officials
- Referee: Grant Atkins
- Touch Judge: Dave Munro
- Touch Judge: Belinda Sharpe
- Senior Review Official: Jared Maxwell
Last updated:
Key match-up
Daly Cherry-Evans v Mitchell Pearce. The incumbent State of Origin halfbacks go head-to-head. So much of Manly’s attack revolves around Cherry-Evans with Tom Trbojevic and Dylan Walker out. Pearce had a very quiet game against North Queensland – behind a well-beaten forward pack, in fairness – and will want to help prove Newcastle’s early form wasn’t a fluke.
Stat attack
Don’t expect too many one-out runs in this match, the Knights (first) and Manly (second) have made more support runs that any other team over the opening seven rounds.
