Check out the match preview and prediction for the round 9 clash between the Sea Eagles and the Raiders.
MATCHDAY NEWS
MATCHDAY SCHEDULE
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Vs Canberra Raiders
Venue: 4 Pines Park, Sydney
Date: Friday May 3, 6pm
MATCHDAY TEAM NEWS
Sea Eagles: 1. Tom Trbojevic, 2. Jason Saab, 3. Tolutau Koula, 4. Reuben Garrick, 5. Tommy Talau, 6. Luke Brooks, 7. Daly Cherry-Evans, 8. Taniela Paseka, 9. Lachlan Croker, 10. Josh Aloiai, 11. Ethan Bullemor, 12. Corey Waddell, 13. Jake Trbojevic, 14. Karl Lawton, 15. Toafofoa Sipley, 16. Nathan Brown, 17. Matthew Lodge, 18. Aaron Woods, 19. Jakob Arthur, 20. Jaxson Paulo, 21. Ben Condon, 22. Gordon Chan Kum Tong
Raiders: 1. Albert Hopoate, 2. Xavier Savage, 3. Matthew Timoko, 4. Sebastian Kris, 5. Nick Cotric, 6. Ethan Strange, 7. Kaeo Weekes, 8. Josh Papali’i, 9. Danny Levi, 10. Joseph Tapine, 11. Hudson Young, 12. Elliott Whitehead, 13. Morgan Smithies, 14. Tom Starling, 15. Ata Mariota, 16. Trey Mooney, 17. Emre Guler, 18. Simi Sasagi, 19. Peter Hola, 20. Zac Woolford, 21. James Schiller, 22. Hohepa Puru
Referee: Grant Atkins
Embed from Getty ImagesMATCHDAY PREVIEW
The Sea Eagles return home to host the Raiders as they look to extend their unbeaten streak to five games. Meanwhile the Raiders are looking to arrest a two-game slide that very well could have been three if not for some Golden Point heroics – they have been well beaten in their two clashes since.
Manly have put together three wins and a draw in the last month of football and will feel confident they can continue their unbeaten streak at home that dates back to August 2023. With Daly Cherry-Evans and Luke Brooks boasting a whopping 526 games of NRL experience between them, facing off against the 22 NRL games of Ethan Strange and Kaeo Weekes, the Manly duo have more than enough experience to know exactly they need to do to get their side over the line on game day.
The Raiders were put to the sword to the tune of 40 points last week at the hands of a red-hot Cronulla Sharks and will need to show a much-improved effort if they want to be in the contest. What their young halves combo of Strange and Weekes lack in experience they make up for with energy and enthusiasm, and if the two can bring their electric running games to the fore they can offer plenty that will trouble the Sea Eagles’ defence.
Cherry-Evans has had his charge at the judiciary overturned on Tuesday, and the veteran halfback will take his place in the lineup, while Haumole Olakau’atu will miss this clash with as his first of a two-game suspension. The Raiders welcome back Albert Hopoate, Nick Cotric, and Elliot Whitehead at the expense of Chevy Stewart, James Schiller, and Simi Sasagi.
Head-to-head stats can be found at Round 9 Number Crunch.
MATCHDAY PREDICTION
Check out all the NRL Predictions for round 9 here.
Sea Eagles by 14 points.
Follow Nothing But Rugby League on Facebook
