Match Centre

Round 20: Sea Eagles v Knights preview

Kicking off another Super Saturday of rugby league, we head to the northern beaches as the scintillating Sea Eagles take on the Knights, who know that their season hangs by a thread against one of their traditional rivals.

The Sea Eagles have glided under the radar all season - the return of Des Hasler has galvanised a side that were rudderless in 2018. They are Trbo-charged after their golden point win in Melbourne and still can sniff a top four spot if they can haul in the Raiders.

Led by the Trbojevic brothers - Jake and Tom - along with Daly Cherry-Evans with everyone else ‘doing their job', Manly will have Brookvale rockin' on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Top of the offload charts with 232, the Sea Eagles have shown at times in 2019 when they get on the front foot, it could be a bloodbath to kick off the Round 20 edition of Super Saturday.

Coming into the season, it looked like the Knights were back. Some big recruits had the Hunter buzzing but after going 1-4 in the opening five rounds with four games at home, the wheels fell off. A slight mid-season revival led by a Mitch Pearce purple-patch had them dreaming again, but the loss to Wests Tigers last week - where Nathan Brown accused the side of not putting in - has them closer to the edge.

Brown made good on his threat to wield the axe which included recruits Jesse Ramien and Herman Ese'ese to revive the season. Sat in ninth, a point outside the eight, they need to buck their ideas quickly and kickstart their run home and avoid another lost season.

Last meeting: Round 5 2019 - Knights 18 Sea Eagles 26

Who to watch: There is a mouth-watering clash that will take place in the trenches on Saturday afternoon. Martin Taupau - the Sea Eagles enforcer will relish taking on David Klemmer and the firey Knights pack. He will take the hard charges that dent that line and open up the space for the magic men in the Sea Eagles to make another Brookvale beatdown.

Looking at the visitors - picking out one person that needs to perform is a tough ask. After the spray given to them by Nathan Brown last week, he has made changes so the whole side are on the clock. If pressed - the big signings that were spared the axe Kalyn Ponga and Mitchell Pearce need to steer this side around against what is an electric Manly side and keep their finals hopes alive.

The favourite: Newcastle's recent form leaves them friendless, with Manly receiving confident backing from the punters.

My tip: The Sea Eagles are in irresistible form against a downbeat Knights side so they should pile on the pain for the Novacastrians. Sea Eagles by 16.