Sea Eagles v Knights preview

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Rivals square off in Retro Round showdown

After slumping to 14th on the ladder off the back of seven straight losses, the Sea Eagles have bounced back into form with three wins to keep their slim finals hopes alive. Getting out to a convincing lead against South Sydney on Monday night, coach Trent Barrett will be looking for a stronger second half performance from his unchanged side. Facing off against Newcastle, Manly supporters are expected to be out in force during Retro Round, as the combatants of the historic 1997 ARL Grand Final face off once again. With five wins from their past five clashes against the Knights, the Sea Eagles will have cause for optimism as the fight to extend their winning run.

In a season of turmoil for Newcastle, Sunday's clash against archrivals Manly may prove to be the catalyst needed to snap their 12 game losing streak. Facing the prospect of equaling the club record of losses, the Knights will have added incentive to come up with two points and move a step closer towards avoiding the dreaded wooden spoon. Forced to alter the lineup once again, coach Nathan Brown has made a significant change to his side by switching Dane Gagai, celebrating his 100th game for the club, back to the centres in a move that allows Jake Mamo to return to fullback after a strong showing against the Storm. Jarrod Mullen and Mitchell Barnett are set to miss the next fortnight through injury and suspension respectively, allowing Jack Cogger and David Bhana first grade recalls. Recording just two wins at Brookvale Oval since their inception, the Knight face a daunting task on Sunday, but after showing signs of improvement prior to last week, Newcastle supporters can approach the match with hope.

Last meeting: Round 8 2016 - Knights 10 Sea Eagles 26

Who to watch: Rated among the best young forwards in the NRL, Jake Trbojevic has earned well-deserved praise for his performances in 2016. In only his second full season in first grade, the 22-year-old lock has developed into a tireless leader, frequently making over 100 metres a game on top of close to 40 tackles. While he may not possess the raw power or finesse of some of his teammates, his commitment and dedication has seen him earmarked for representative honours in years to come. With club legend Jamie Lyon set to retire at seasons end, Trbojevic looms as a dark horse to take over the mantle of captain in 2017.

Returning from a one-match suspension, Newcastle flyer Jake Mamo looms as a key figure for the Knights as they chase only their second win of the season. Having struggled for game time in 2016, the 22-year-old speedster looks set to finish the season off at fullback after impressing against Melbourne a fortnight ago. Facing off against fellow rookie Tom Trbojevic, the duel of the fullbacks will go a long way towards determining the winner on Sunday, but should Mamo come out on top the Knights may be able to pull off an upset at Brookvale Oval.

The favourite: Stringing together three straight wins for the first time in 12 months, the Sea Eagles are favoured to account for the lowly Knights.

My tip: With the spirit of 1997 spurring the visitors on, look for the Knights to secure just their second win of the season. Knights by 10.

1. Tom Trbojevic 2. Jorge Taufua 3. Lewis Brown 4. Brayden Wiliame 5. Matthew Wright 20. Dylan Walker 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Darcy Lussick 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. Martin Taupau 11. Nathan Green 12. Jamie Buhrer 13. Jake Trbojevic
Interchange: 14. Blake Leary 15. Josh Starling 17. Siosaia Vave 22. Addin Fonua-blake 18. Addin Fonua-blake

1. Jake Mamo 2. Nathan Ross 3. Dane Gagai 4. Peter Mata'utia 5. Brendan Elliott 6. Jack Cogger 7. Trent Hodkinson 8. Josh King 9. Danny Levi 10. Korbin Sims 11. David Bhana 12. Pauli Pauli 13. Jeremy Smith
Interchange: 14. Chris Adams 19. Mickey Paea 16. Daniel Saifiti 17. Jacob Saifiti

Referees: Gavin Badger, Adam Devcich; Sideline Officials: Jeff Younis, Dave Ryan; Video Referees: Bernard Sutton, Ben Galea, Jason Robinson;