Round 26: Bulldogs v Sea Eagles preview
6pm is the main event for Sydney foes
Finals football arrives a fortnight early on Friday night as the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Manly Sea Eagles face off in a contest set to have major ramifications on the makeup of the top eight.
Locking in a return to September following an eight-year absence, the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs will be looking to continue their resurgence by pushing for a top four finish.
Overcoming a slow start to overpower the Warriors 34-18 on an emotional night last Friday, coach Cameron Ciraldo has been forced into changes with captain Stephen Crichton suspended for a shoulder charger and Kurt Mann sustaining a collarbone injury.
The resulting reshuffle sees Jeral Skelton come into the backline and Josh Curran return after missing the trip to New Zealand with a shoulder injury.
The Bulldogs have enjoyed an 82% winning record since the start of the Origin period - second only to Melbourne - and are in the midst of their longest winning streak since 2015.
Walking a finals tight rope following an ill-disciplined capitulation last week, the Manly Sea Eagles will be desperate to make amends against one of the in-form teams of the premiership.
Squandering a 16-0 lead to go down 34-26 to the last-placed Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval last Thursday, coach Anthony Seibold has recalled Matthew Lodge in place of suspended forward Corey Waddell, while the return of Tommy Talau sees Tolu Koula drop to the bench in place of Gordon Chan Kum Tong.
Tom Trbojevic will make his 150th appearance in first grade for the Sea Eagles; the superstar fullback - fresh from scoring a hat-trick last week - will become only the 34th player to achieve the milestone at the club.
The Sea Eagles have dominated the Bulldogs with nine wins from ten meetings since 2018, but hold a dismal record of two wins from 15 appearances at Accor Stadium over the past decade.
Last meeting: Round 26 2023 - Bulldogs 24 Sea Eagles 42
Who to watch: Winning a Jersey Flegg premiership with the Bulldogs last year, rookie forward Harry Hayes will be hoping to achieve the same success in the NRL in six weeks' time. Providing great impact off the bench in the weeks following his first grade debut at the end of the Origin period, the 22-year-old has appeared in six matches, averaging over 100 running metres and 22 tackles in just under a half of football each week. Scoring the first try of his career at a crucial moment last week, Hayes will be playing to demand inclusion in the top 17 as the Bulldogs head towards September.
Clocking in as the pièce de resistance in one of the fastest backlines in the league, Jason Saab will revel in the opportunity to showcase his speed on the eve of the finals. Coming up against Josh Addo-Carr in one of the personal duels of the round, the 23-year-old has enjoyed strong returns against the Bulldogs with seven tries from four clashes during his time with the Sea Eagles. Proving himself as more than a try-scorer with a career-high 130 running metres on average this season, Saab will be sure to make the most of any open space afforded on Friday night.
FAVOURITE: The Bulldogs have won all seven home matches at Accor Stadium this season - and are expected to extend that total to eight on Friday night.
MY TIP: A win will guarantee the Bulldogs a home final at some point in September - that alone should get the blue and whites over the line. Bulldogs by 7.
