Manly Sea Eagles vs Newcastle Knights Tips and Prediction
Manly return to 4 Pines Park where their attack has been one of the most dangerous in the competition.
Against a Newcastle side dealing with a key injury in the halves, the Sea Eagles look well placed to bounce back in Round 2.
Manly’s backline firepower should create plenty of scoring opportunities at home.
How this game shapes up
Manly came painfully close to a comeback victory in their season opener.
After falling behind against Canberra, the Sea Eagles produced a late surge with two tries and a penalty goal in the final seven minutes to force golden point before eventually going down.
Despite the loss, their attack showed plenty of promise.
Tolutau Koula was particularly dangerous, breaking the line twice and creating opportunities whenever Manly shifted the ball wide.
The Sea Eagles’ attacking strength is even more pronounced at 4 Pines Park.
Manly have scored over 28 points in five of their last six games at the venue and their outside backs regularly find space on the edges.
Newcastle started their season with an impressive win over the Cowboys in Las Vegas.
However, the loss of five-eighth Fletcher Sharpe for this clash is a major blow to their attacking structure.
Without Sharpe’s spark alongside Dylan Brown, the Knights may struggle to match Manly’s scoring ability.
Best Bets
Manly Sea Eagles -4.5
Manly’s attacking record at 4 Pines Park makes them difficult to stop at home.
Against a Knights side missing a key playmaker, the Sea Eagles look well placed to control the match.
Tolutau Koula Anytime Tryscorer
Koula continues to develop into one of the most dangerous centres in the NRL.
His speed and power on the edges make him a strong chance to find the tryline again.
What could go wrong?
Newcastle still possess plenty of attacking talent, particularly through Kalyn Ponga who remains capable of breaking open games with individual brilliance.
If the Knights can control possession and limit Manly’s attacking opportunities, they could keep the contest close.
But Manly’s scoring power at home makes them difficult to contain across 80 minutes.