Round 11: Sea Eagles v Broncos preview
Manly are looking to bounce back at Suncorp for the second week in a row against the Brisbane side, following their loss against the Dolphins which was compounded by the injury to Tom Trbojevic.
The Sea Eagles had a 12-point lead 30 minutes into the match last week against the Dolphins, and then they all let it crumble yet again, with the Dolphins hitting back with three tries in five minutes, which ended up carrying them through to win the match with a 30-24 score line. This marks Manly's second loss in a row, and their four loss overall, leaving them in 8th place on the ladder.
With Tom Trbojevic set to face an extended stint on the sidelines, Tolu Koula has been named in his place at fullback. This change forces Tommy Talau to more to the centes and Raymond Tuaimalo Veega to join the team on the wing for his second NRL game of the season. Haumole Olakau'atu returns after serving a two-match suspension, meaning that Corey Waddell reverts to the bench and Toafofoa Sipley is dropped to the reserves. Despite suffering a head knock in the back end of the match against the Dolphins, Gordon Chan Kum Tong has also been named on the bench in the number 14 position.
Brisbane hit back after an embarrassing loss against the Roosters in the previous round, where they claimed victory over the Eels away from home 30-14. The side was far from clinical with many defensive lapses making eleven errors and completing at 73%, though the young trio of Mam, Mariner and Walsh proved they can get the job done without star halfback Adam Reynolds.
After suffering a minor pec injury during Round 8 against the Tigers, Jock Madden returns for the Broncos at halfback, pushing Josh Rogers out of the squad after a good performance against the Eels. With Billy Walters suffering a wrist injury last week, Tyson Smoothy moves to starting hooker, and youngster Blake Mozer will play off the bench, his second NRL grade match, and his first Broncos game of 2024, having an impressive year so far in the HostPlus Cup for the Logan Magpies. Besides these three changes the rest of the Brisbane side remains the same as the side that defeated the Eels.
Since the induction of Magic Round in 2019, Manly have only won the one match in 2021, defeating the Broncos 50-6. Overall, these teams have met 33 times (since 1998), and the Sea Eagles have a slight edge over the Brisbane side, winning seventeen compared to fifteen (with one draw).
Last meeting: Round 10 2023 - Sea Eagles 6 Broncos 32
Who to watch: One five-eighth is in his twelfth season whilst the other is in his third, with years of experience and age between them they feel worlds apart, but both are having a standout year with their respective clubs.
Making the move to Manly as their major 2024 signing, Luke Brooks partners with experienced Sea Eagle, Daly Cherry-Evans. This year Brooks has scored one of his own tries whilst making seven try assists and eight line break assists.
Making his NRL debut in 2022, Ezra Mam is a solid part of the Broncos spine, and is becoming one of the most exciting playmakers in the NRL with blistering speed and footwork. Mam will have to continue to step up without Reynolds in the halves, but so far this year he has made seven try assists and nine line break assists whilst scoring six four-pointers of his own.
Favourite: The Broncos are favoured to defeat the Sea Eagles at their away game at home.
My tip: As the injury crisis of the 2024 NRL season continues, both sides in this match up are missing a few key players, but that doesn't mean neither team can fill in the voids and get the job done. If the Broncos keep a tight defence and do not make too many errors for the Sea Eagles to have the opportunity to capitalise on, they will get the win. Manly are just too inconsistent across the 80 minutes, letting several leads in games get away from them, and will have to adjust yet again with no Turbo. Brisbane by 22.
