Check out the match preview and prediction for the 2025 National Rugby League round 10 clash between the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles and the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.
MATCHDAY NEWS
MATCHDAY SCHEDULE
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Vs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Venue: 4 Pines Park. Sydney
Date: Sunday 11 May, 4:05pm (AEST)
MATCHDAY TEAM NEWS
Sea Eagles: 1. Tom Trbojevic 2. Jason Saab 3. Tolutau Koula 4. Reuben Garrick 5. Lehi Hopoate 6. Luke Brooks 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Jake Trbojevic 9. Jake Simpkin 10. Siosiua Taukeiaho 11. Haumole Olakau’atu 12. Ben Trbojevic 13. Jazz Tevaga 14. Tommy Talau 15. Corey Waddell 16. Ethan Bullemor 17. Nathan Brown 18. Caleb Navale 19. Clayton Faulalo 20. Jakob Arthur 21. Michael Chee Kam 22. Aitasi James
Sharks: 1. William Kennedy 2. Samuel Stonestreet 3. Jesse Ramien 4. KL Iro 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Braydon Trindall 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Oregon Kaufusi 11. Briton Nikora 12. Billy Burns 13. Cameron McInnes 14. Daniel Atkinson 15. Jesse Colquhoun 16. Braden Hamlin-Uele 17. Thomas Hazelton 18. Jayden Berrell 19. Tuku Hau Tapuha 20. Hohepa Puru 21. Niwhai Puru 22. Chris Veaila
Referee: Gerard Sutton
Bunker: Ashley Klein
MATCHDAY PREVIEW
On Sunday afternoon 4 Pines Park will come alive as the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles face the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in a fierce battle to remain in the top eight.
The Sea Eagles will be feeling refreshed and recharged after a bye last week, and their epic 26-10 victory over the reigning premiers the Penrith Panthers in round 8 gives them even more confidence that they can get the job done against the Sharks this weekend.
Captain Daly Cherry-Evans made impressive plays, leading his team to victory over the Panthers alongside teammates Tom Trbojevic and Rueben Garrick. Turbo Tom’s return, combined with Cherry-Evans’ shared leadership and mentoring, has seen the team immediately lift their game, giving them the momentum needed to win their first game in a month.
Tom Trbojevic has scored seven tries in the last seven games against the Sharks. He will be out to prove his worth again this weekend, alongside the return of Jake Trbojevic, who should help to further bolster the Manly side.
Adding to the mix is Tolutau Koula, who stole the show against the Panthers, scoring a stunning try. He has been an amazing weapon in the middle, with his speed and athleticism, but the test for him will be breaking through the Sharks’ tough forward pack combination of Thomas Hazelton and Addin Fonua-Blake. In just seven appearances this season, Koula has scored five tries, made 13 tackle breaks, and had an average of 125 running metres, so he will certainly give it a good try.
With winger Jason Saab back, will Cherry-Evans and this group of players be able to compete with Samuel Stonestreet, Nicho Hynes, KL Iro, and William Kennedy?
Kennedy’s superb ball-handling skills and quick movement, along with the fact that he has scored five tries in six games against the Sea Eagles, are all reasons to be optimistic for the Sharks but cause concern for the Sea Eagles.
They last faced the Sharks in round 6 at Optus Stadium in Perth, unfamiliar territory for both teams, and were defeated by the Sharks 24-18.
Their track record against the Sharks is not great, having lost twice in their last two meetings, but they will rely on home-field advantage and their fans to motivate them, as they have won more games at this stadium than the Sharks but have not defeated them at this stadium since 2019, so they will have some work to do.
The Sharks enter this contest knowing they have the potential and are more than capable of completing the task ahead of them following a thrilling victory over the Parramatta Eels last weekend, defeating them 28-18.
They have won five of their past six games against the Sea Eagles, so they should not be feeling the pressure with this one.
The Sharks feature an impressive forward pack and an even stronger backline. The return of Iro will reinforce their centres and provide a newfound balance to the side, and the fast pace of Briton Nikora and his ability to find the smallest of gaps make these two incredibly hard to stop.
They are a side that is currently playing at full strength and is difficult to fault, with excellent combinations. They are finally finding traction and working together as a team: with powerful, quick, well-executed play, line breaks, and flawless goal-line defence.
Coach Craig Fitzgibbon is confident in his side and has only made one change, with Daniel Atkinson joining the bench in place of Siosifa Talakai.
This weekend will be a battle of who can really go the distance to take home victory.
MATCHDAY PREDICTION
Sharks by 12 points.
Check out our round 10 predictions here.
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