Round 20: Sea Eagles v Roosters preview
The times they are a-changin'…
Finals football arrives early on Thursday evening with the ninth-placed Manly Sea Eagles and the eighth-placed Sydney Roosters facing off in a clash set to have major ramifications on the make-up of the top eight.
Sitting alongside a cluster of four teams on 20 competition points respectively, the two sides will be treating the highly anticipated contest as a must-win encounter in light of matches to come and the threat posed by Canberra and St George Illawarra nipping closely behind.
Squandering an opportunity to establish distance inside the top eight with a defeat on the road last Friday, the Manly Sea Eagles have been plunged into chaos with seven players electing to stand down in response to the club's decision to wear a rainbow-themed pride jersey celebrating diversity and inclusion.
The seven players - Josh Aloiai, Jason Saab, Christian Tuipulotu, Josh Schuster, Haumole Olakau'atu, Tolu Koula and Toafofoa Sipley - have all withdrawn from the match citing cultural and religious reasons.
Forced to field a vastly different roster from the team that went down to the Dragons 20-6 six days earlier, coach Des Hasler will welcome back Jake Trbojevic, Andrew Davey and Lachlan Croker from illness, while Pio Seci, Alfred Smalley, Kurt De Luis, Morgan Boyle and James Segeyaro are among the new faces to benefit from the sensational turn of events.
Winning six of their seven appearances at 4 Pines Park in 2022, the Sea Eagles have struggled against quality opposition this season with one win from nine clashes against current top eight teams.
Stringing together back-to-back wins for the first time in two months to move back inside the top eight, the Sydney Roosters will be vying to build momentum ahead of a difficult run of matches to close out the regular season.
Making a mockery of the Knights during last Friday's 42-12 victory in Newcastle, coach Trent Robinson will welcome back superstar outside back Joey Manu and Queensland prop Lindsay Collins as part of a reshuffle that sees Drew Hutchison and Matt Lodge revert to the interchange.
Winning five of their past seven matches against the Sea Eagles, including a comprehensive victory at the Sydney Cricket Ground earlier this season, the Tricolours have performed strongly at 4 Pines Park during Trent Robinson's tenure with four wins from six visits.
Last meeting: Round 2 2022 - Roosters 26 Sea Eagles 12
Who to watch: Tasked with the unenviable responsibility of filling the shoes of the reigning Dally M medallist, Reuben Garrick has more than held his own since shifting to fullback. Running for the third most metres of any player in the premiership, the 25-year-old has been similarly potent as a point-scorer with 11 tries and 48 goals to sit second on the leader board. Facing off against James Tedesco in a crucial personal duel on Thursday evening, Garrick will need to produce the game of his life if the Sea Eagles hope to keep their top eight hopes alive.
Making a successful return last Friday following a month on the sidelines, the Roosters will be looking for Luke Keary to draw upon his big game experience in a bid to reach the finals. Crossing for a try and setting up another during the dominant win over Newcastle, the 30-year-old playmaker appeared rejuvenated while wearing his customary number six jersey after spending the bulk of 2022 at halfback. Playing a leading role in the side's big win over Manly earlier in the year, Keary will be aiming to produce a similar effort in order to lift the Roosters to three straight wins for the second time this season.
The favourite: Scoring 96 points in their past two matches in a warning sign to rival teams, the Roosters are fancied to keep the points rolling against their depleted opponents.
My tip: "Your old road is rapidly agin' / please get out of the new one / if you can't lend your hand / for the times they are a-changin'". Roosters by 20.
