Match Preview:
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles v Newcastle Knights Sunday 4:05pm at 4 Pines Park, Brookvale / Cammeraygal
Sunday afternoon football returns to the Northern Beaches and hopefully much better weather than last Saturday night as the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles take on the Newcastle Knights at Brookvale Oval.
Torrential rain met Manly for their first hit out of the season, and conditions didn't hurt the Sea Eagles early as they were able to open up a 14-0 lead inside the first twenty minutes and were looking to dispel the criticisms that were levelled at the Maroon and Whites in the pre-season.
Things turned quickly, though, for Manly as they conceded 28 straight points, struggling to match the Raiders' intensity for the next 50 minutes or so. They finally hit back twice to tie the scores at 28-28, then needed some luck, and they got it in the dying minutes. A penalty against Hudson Young after the Raiders enforcer was penalised for being offside, and Manly locked the scores up. Manly hearts were broken just under two minutes into golden point when Ethan Sanders sank the Sea Eagles' fortunes, consigning them to a 29-28 defeat.
The side under the most pressure coming into 2026, the Newcastle Knights, heavily under-delivered in the pre-season challenge, losing to the Dragons, and the reappearance of their 2025 Achilles heel, a lack of points. The Knights put those demons aside in Las Vegas for a very impressive 28-18 win over the North Queensland Cowboys.
A Round 1 win was important for the Novocastrians, but the style of their 28-18 win was the perfect start. Things seemed to click early for Newcastle as they were able to open a 12-0 lead early before the Cowboys were able to hit back to level the scores at 12-12. Whilst things didn't go all the Knights way with a knee injury hitting Fletcher Sharpe, the attack and defence of the Knights was impressive which had been one of their big issues in 2025.
Last meeting: Round 14 2025 - Knights 26 Sea Eagles 22
Who to watch: Manly's new recruit, Jamal Fogarty, has big shoes to fill, taking on the controlling of the Manly attack after the departure of DCE, and there has already been scrutiny on the ex-Raiders player for the Sea Eagles' defeat last week. The performance was far from awful, but there are high expectations on the Northern Beaches, and partnering with Luke Brooks, who himself is already under pressure, the heat will be on Jamal Fogarty.
After a starring role in the dazzling lights of Las Vegas, Kalyn Ponga has to back up the performances as a regular thing, not just one where he shows up for the glory and disappears as he has in the past. The big money star frequently comes under pressure from the media and Newcastle fans who are excited for a big year ahead from the Knights captain, who needs to show he can deliver it on a Sunday afternoon in Manly as well as the lights of Vegas.
Favourite: Manly are comfortable favourites to win this one at home.
MY TIP: Early rounds are always hard to tip with no established patterns of form yet and players still finding their footing, but this is a hard game to pick either way because you don't know what sort of performance they will bring. The Knights' history of inconsistency doesn't bode well for a good position, but then Manly's in the same ship as well. A dry Sunday afternoon with plenty of factors falling in favour of the Sea Eagles sees my tip go to them with no confidence whatsoever. Manly by 4.
1. Tom Trbojevic 2. Jason Saab 3. Tolutau Koula 4. Reuben Garrick 5. Lehi Hopoate 6. Luke Brooks 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Taniela Paseka 9. Jake Simpkin 10. Kobe Hetherington 11. Haumole Olakau'atu 12. Ben Trbojevic 13. Jake Trbojevic 14. Joey Walsh 15. Nathan Brown 16. Ethan Bullemor 17. Paul Bryan 18. Brandon Wakeham 19. Josh Feledy 20. Corey Waddell 21. Jackson Shereb 22. Simione Laiafi
1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Dominic Young 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Sandon Smith 7. Dylan Brown 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Trey Mooney 11. Dylan Lucas 12. Jermaine McEwen 13. Tyson Frizell 14. Thomas Cant 15. Mathew Croker 16. Pasami Saulo 17. Francis Manuleleua 18. Fletcher Hunt 19. Harrison Graham 20. Tyson Gamble 21. Cody Hopwood 22. James Schiller
Referees: Todd Smith; Sideline Officials: Drew Oultram, Tyson Brough; Video Referees: Grant Atkins;