Glen Willow Oval will play host to Saturday's Round 5 NRL game between Manly Sea Eagles and Newcastle Knights. The game kicks off at 3:00 pm with Manly Sea Eagles heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Manly Sea Eagles vs. Newcastle Knights game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Saturday April 1, 2023 at 3:00 pm

Where: Glen Willow Oval

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Manly Sea Eagles vs Newcastle Knights Odds

Manly Sea Eagles vs Newcastle Knights Preview

Manly take another home game to Mudgee, where the club has racked up handsome wins over Gold Coast (36-0) and Canberra (25-6) in the past two seasons. The Sea Eagles will be confident of a similarly convincing result against depleted but plucky Newcastle on Saturday.

Suffering their first loss of the season, the Sea Eagles were far from disgraced in a 13-12 golden point result against Souths in which Daly Cherry-Evans, Tom Trbojevic and back-row tyros Haumole Olakau’atu and Kelma Tuilagi all shone.

Tolu Koula’s knee injury is a blow, but Morgan Harper is an experienced – if enigmatic – centre replacement. Lachlan Croker is back from a one-week layoff at Karl Lawton’s expense.

Newcastle is 2-2 despite a raft of injury problems. The Knights produced their best performance of the season to upset Canberra 24-14 with breakout fullback star Lachlan Miller the catalyst in an encouraging display from the spine. The injection of winger Greg Marzhew garnered two tries.

The Knights have lost Kurt Mann to a head injury, with Jack Johns to start at lock.

After winning only two of its previous seven against Newcastle, Manly won both 2022 encounters – 30-6 on the road in Round 5 and 42-12 at home in Round 18. Ominously, the Sea Eagles cruised to both wins with Tom Trbojevic sidelined.

The Knights have leaked 20.5 points per game against a string of opponents with limited offensive capabilities. DCE, ‘Turbo’ and Josh Schuster will be frothing at the prospect of taking on this defence on a dry, warm afternoon and we could see a bit of a high-scorer unfold.

Newcastle is a hefty 13.5-point underdog but has failed to cover in both losses this season.

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Manly Sea Eagles vs Newcastle Knights Tip

Manly Sea Eagles vs Newcastle Knights Teams

Sea Eagles team:1. Tom Trbojevic 2. Christian Tuipulotu 3. Brad Parker 4. Morgan Harper 5. Reuben Garrick 6. Josh Schuster 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Taniela Paseka 9. Lachlan Croker 10. Jake Trbojevic 11. Haumole Olakau’atu 12. Kelma Tuilagi 13. Josh Aloiai 14. Kaeo Weekes 15. Ben Trbojevic 16. Ethan Bullemor 17. Sean Keppie 18. Toafofoa Sipley 19. Cooper Johns 20. Ray Tuaimalo-Vaega 21. Karl Lawton 22. Samuela Fainu

Knights team: 1. Lachlan Miller 2. Hymel Hunt 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Tyson Gamble 7. Jackson Hastings 8. Daniel Saifiti 9. Jayden Brailey 10. Leo Thompson 11. Tyson Frizell 12. Lachlan Fitzgibbon 13. Jack Johns 14. Phoenix Crossland 15. Jack Hetherington 16. Mathew Croker 17. Brodie Jones 18. Dylan Lucas 19. Enari Tuala 20. Dominic Young 21. Simi Sasagi 22. Thomas Cant