You have skipped the navigation, tab for page content
Match Preview

Sea Eagles v Bulldogs: Turbo good to go; Kikau, Mahoney debut

Author
jetwinvip.com
Timestamp

The Sea Eagles enter the 2023 season on a high after winning the Pre-Season Challenge and the return of superstar Tom Trbojevic only adds to the positive vibes at Brookvale.

Trbojevic hasn't played since injuring his shoulder against Parramatta in round 11 last year but a trip to the USA to work with reconditioning specialist Bill Knowles and a solid block of training since his return has the No.1 gun ready to go.

The Bulldogs, meanwhile, enter the new season with high expectations after the recruitment of Viliame Kikau and Reed Mahoney to work alongside Matt Burton and Josh Addo-Carr, who were outstanding in 2022.

With former Raider Ryan Sutton and Englishman Luke Thompson in the middle and Kikau and Raymond Faitala-Mariner on the edges, the Dogs certainly boast the forward firepower to match it with anyone.

When the two sides met in the final round last year it was the Bulldogs taking the spoils 21-20 thanks to a Burton field goal, consigning Manly to a seventh consecutive defeat.

With a new coach in Anthony Seibold and a new Turbo in the garage after his Philadelphia tune up, Sea Eagles fans are hoping that's where the losing streak ends and 2023 is launched in style on home turf.

Team News

Sea Eagles: Josh Aloiai has been promoted to the starting side an hour before kick-off with Sean Keppie going to the bench. Gordon Chan Kum Tong is 18th man. Fullback Tom Trbojevic will line up for his first game since May last year in a massive boost to the Sea Eagles. Kaeo Weekes was impressive at fullback in the Pre-season Challenge and will fill the utility role off the bench. The absence of first-choice five-eighth Josh Schuster (calf) will see Cooper Johns partner Daly Cherry-Evans in the halves in his first NRL game for the club. Centre Brad Parker is good to go despite suffering a broken nose against the Roosters a fortnight ago.

Bulldogs: The Bulldogs are 1-17 with no late changes. Braidon Burns is 18th man. Fa'amanu Brown takes over at lock from Luke Thompson after his mid-week injury. Max King and Ryan Sutton are the starting props with former Shark Franklin Pele and youngster Jayden Tanner coming off the bench. Hayze Perham gets the nod at fullback.

Team Lists

Backs

  • Fullback for Sea Eagles is number 1 Tom Trbojevic
    Fullback for Bulldogs is number 1 Hayze Perham
  • Winger for Sea Eagles is number 2 Christian Tuipulotu
    Winger for Bulldogs is number 2 Jacob Kiraz
  • Centre for Sea Eagles is number 3 Brad Parker
    Centre for Bulldogs is number 3 Jake Averillo
  • Centre for Sea Eagles is number 4 Tolutau Koula
    Centre for Bulldogs is number 4 Paul Alamoti
  • Winger for Sea Eagles is number 5 Reuben Garrick
    Winger for Bulldogs is number 5 Josh Addo-Carr
  • Five-Eighth for Sea Eagles is number 6 Cooper Johns
    Five-Eighth for Bulldogs is number 6 Matt Burton
  • Halfback for Sea Eagles is number 7 Daly Cherry-Evans
    Halfback for Bulldogs is number 7 Kyle Flanagan

Forwards

  • Prop for Sea Eagles is number 8 Taniela Paseka
    Prop for Bulldogs is number 8 Max King
  • Hooker for Sea Eagles is number 9 Lachlan Croker
    Hooker for Bulldogs is number 9 Reed Mahoney
  • Prop for Sea Eagles is number 10 Jake Trbojevic
    Prop for Bulldogs is number 10 Ryan Sutton
  • 2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 11 Haumole Olakau'atu
    2nd Row for Bulldogs is number 11 Viliame Kikau
  • 2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 12 Kelma Tuilagi
    2nd Row for Bulldogs is number 12 Raymond  Faitala-Mariner
  • Lock for Sea Eagles is number 17 Josh Aloiai
    Lock for Bulldogs is number 13 Fa'amanu Brown

Interchange

  • Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 13 Sean Keppie
    Interchange for Bulldogs is number 14 Jayden Tanner
  • Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 14 Kaeo Weekes
    Interchange for Bulldogs is number 15 Corey Waddell
  • Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 15 Ben Trbojevic
    Interchange for Bulldogs is number 16 Franklin Pele
  • Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 16 Ethan Bullemor
    Interchange for Bulldogs is number 17 Jacob Preston

Reserves

  • Replacement for Sea Eagles is number 22 Gordon Chan Kum Tong
    Replacement for Bulldogs is number 19 Braidon Burns

Match Officials

  • Referee: Grant Atkins
  • Touch Judge: Dave Munro
  • Touch Judge: Belinda Sharpe
  • Senior Review Official: Chris Butler

Last updated:

Stat Attack

  • The Sea Eagles have won seven of their past eight games against the Bulldogs.
  • The Bulldogs are aiming for consecutive wins against the Sea Eagles for the first time since 2016.
  • The Sea Eagles have not won in Round 1 since 2013 when they defeated the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.
  • Sea Eagles fullback Tom Trbojevic has scored seven tries in his past three games against the Bulldogs.
  • Sea Eagles winger Reuben Garrick needs 12 points to reach 800 points in the NRL. The club's leading pointscorer is four-time premiership winning fullback Graham Eadie with 1917 points.
  • Josh Addo-Carr scored 16 tries in 23 games for the Bulldogs in 2022 and 12 tries in five Tests at the World Cup at the end of the season.

Related

Acknowledgement of Country

National Rugby League respects and honours the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.