2021 NRL Round Seven Preview, Tigers Vs Sea Eagles

Lachy MacCorquodale previews the ANZAC Day clash between the Wests Tigers and the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. This is what we have to look forward to.

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TEAM NEWS

Venue: Bankwest Stadium, Date: Sunday 25th April, Time: 1:45pm

Referee: Adam Gee

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Tigers

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The Tigers fell agonisingly short on Saturday evening against the strong South Sydney Rabbitohs in a Golden Point thriller. Despite not coming away with the two points, Michael Maguire will be happy with his side’s response after their embarrassing performance the weekend prior against the North Queensland Cowboys. The Tigers now occupy 15th place on the ladder, having won only one of their six matches this season, including three straight losses.

However, one positive for the Tigers was they were able to keep the Rabbitohs to under 20 points on Saturday, a feat which the club hadn’t achieved in its last 15 matches. Maguire has made two changes to his squad, with Michael Chee Kam replacing the injured Asu Kepaoa (who will miss the rest of the season) in the centres, while Alex Seyfarth replaces Thomas Mikaele on the bench.

Sea Eagles

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The Manly Warringah Sea Eagles are flying high after 36-point victory over the Gold Coast Titans on Saturday. That makes it two wins on the trot now for the Sea Eagles and the confidence is flowing amongst the team after Tom Trbojevic’s successful return on the weekend. He ran for 189 run metres in his return whilst scoring a try and setting up two for his team mates.

The Sea Eagles looked like a completely different side with Trbojevic’s inclusion and they’ll be expecting a similar result this Sunday. Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran definitely benefitted from the return of ‘Turbo’ and both players will be keen to extend the Sea Eagles’ winning streak to three.

PREVIEW

Both sides are on the opposite spectrum of the form guide. The Tigers have lost their past three matches whilst the Sea Eagles have won their last two. There’s plenty on the line in this clash: for the Sea Eagles, a win should take them to around eighth spot or just outside the eight depending on the weekend’s results. That’s incredible given their horrid start to the season. For the Tigers, a win would at least keep their season alive as most would agree that starting with one win and six losses would most likely rule you out of playing finals footy.

Although in the Tigers’ defence, they did nearly knock off the Rabbitohs last weekend, one of the better sides in the competition. But they’ve also rolled over against the Cowboys, so who knows what to expect from the joint venture club. They should be fired up for this contest knowing that their season is arguably on the line. They’ll be looking to Danie Laurie, Adam Doueihi, Luciano Leilua, and Jake Simpkin to cause the damage after a terrific debut for the young hooker.

Simpkin will provide the Tigers with an advantage given his opposite number in Lachlan Croker isn’t a natural nine. Despite having played one game, he’ll be expecting to get his side on the front foot on Sunday afternoon. For Manly, it’ll be the aforementioned Trbojevic who’ll be the key to his side’s success. Prior to his return the Sea Eagles looked like an absolute rabble but his return has given his side the extra belief that they can perform at a top eight level once again.

KEY STAT

Recently, it’s the Wests Tigers who’ve had the wood over the Sea Eagles, having won five of their past six clashes against the side from the northern beaches. The latest match between these sides came in round 17 of last season which the Tigers won by two points in a thriller, with Doueihi scoring a winner in the 77th minute after his side scored three unanswered tries to win the clash.

PREDICTION

Wests Tigers by four.

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