2020 NRL – Manly Sea Eagles vs Wests Tigers Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Manly Sea Eagles vs Wests Tigers taking place? Saturday 5th September, 2020 – 08:30 (UK)
Where is Manly Sea Eagles vs Wests Tigers taking place? Lottoland, Sydney
What is the expected weather for Manly Sea Eagles vs Wests Tigers? 17c, mostly sunny
What channel is Manly Sea Eagles vs Wests Tigers on? Sky Sports will be televising selected NRL games in the UK and you can find their schedule here. For Australian broadcasters, you can find a list here
Where can I stream Manly Sea Eagles vs Wests Tigers? If televised on Sky Sports, then subscribers will be able to stream the match live via Sky Go. Alternatively, the match will be available to subscribers of Watch NRL
Where can I get tickets for Manly Sea Eagles vs Wests Tigers? Click here for ticket information on 2020 NRL matches
THE TEAM NEWS
MANLY SEA EAGLES
Starting 13: Funa, Taufua, Parker, Hopoate, Miski, Croker, Cherry-Evans, Fonua-Blake, Levi, Taupau, Gosiewski, Sironen, J. Trbojevic – Interchanges: Waddell, Keppie, Paseka, Olakau’atu – Reserves: Schuster, Harper
Unavailable: Manase Fainu (Disciplinary), Tom Trbojevic (Injured), Dylan Walker (Injured), Brendan Elliot (Injured), Moses Suli (Injured), Joel Thompson (Injured), Reuben Garrick (Injured), Cade Cust (Injured)
- Manly Sea Eagles poor run of form continued as they lost for the fifth game in succession and any hopes they had of making the top eight are surely over thanks to their defeat to Melbourne Storm.
- The Sea Eagles competed well in the early exchanges with the Storm and were level with a quarter of the game gone but they were kept scoreless after Addin Fonua-Blake’s effort as they succumbed to a 30-6 loss.
- With some key men already sidelined, the Sea Eagles have now lost Joel Thompson for the rest of the campaign with Reuben Garrick and Cade Cust also joining him on the sidelines and that could lead to a debut for Josh Schuster who has been included among the reserves.
WESTS TIGERS
Starting 13: Mbye, Nofoaluma, J. Leilua, Doueihi, Kepaoa, Marshall, Brooks, Aloiai, Grant, Mikaele, Garner, L. Leilua, Twal – Interchanges: Eisenhuth, Taylor, Liddle, McIntyre – Reserves: Lawrence, Packer
Unavailable: Zane Musgrove (Injured), Michael Chee-Kam (Injured), Billy Walters (Injured)
- Wests Tigers were involved in a physical battle with Penrith Panthers last week but despite showing some early promise, they fell away as the league leaders proved to be too good for them.
- Wests took the lead with a superb bit of play from Benji Marshall, spotting David Nofoaluma in acres of space out wide and his pinpoint kick was downed by the winger but that try in the eighth minute was the only time they managed to get themselves on the scoreboard in the 30-6 loss.
- Head coach Michael Maguire has had to deal with criticism from his squad this week regarding some of his methods and team selection but he has opted to make several changes once again with Moses Mbye and Adam Doueihi switching positions.
THE PREDICTION
Manly Sea Eagles and Wests Tigers are both highly unlikely to make the finals but they will want to at least keep their slim hopes alive by coming out on top in this one. The pair are desperately out of form with the Sea Eagles losing their last five while the Tigers have managed just one win in their last six. Both teams should be keen to give the ball some air in this contest with little to play for and with the majority of their games being high-scoring affairs before last weekend, this contest should produce at least 43 points.
