SEA EAGLES V EELS
Sun 05 Mar 2017, 4:00pm, Brookvale Oval
Sea Eagles: 1. Tom Trbojevic 2. Jorge Taufua 3. Matthew Wright 4. Dylan Walker 5. Akuila Uate 6. Blake Green 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Brenton Lawrence 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. Nate Myles 11. Curtis Sironen 12. Martin Taupau 13. Jake Trbojevic. Interchange: 14. Jackson Hastings 15. Addin Fonua-Blake 16. Shaun Lane 17. Lloyd Perrett
Notes:
* Star recruit Blake Green slots in at five-eighth, with Apisai Koroisau to play hooker and Matt Parcell (Leeds) released.
* Dylan Walker replaces Jamie Lyon (retired) at right centre.
* Matthew Wright is favoured to win the centre spot of Steve Matai (expected to retire), but he faces competition from Jono Wright and Brian Kelly.
* How Manly’s forward pack will look for round one is anyone’s guess given high player turnover, but we have recruits Curtis Sironen, Shaun Lane and Lloyd Perrett earning spots following the exits of Jamie Buhrer, Siosaia Vave, Josh Starling, Feleti Mateo, Blake Leary, Luke Burgess, Nathan Green and Tom Symonds.
Injuries/suspensions:
* Jake Trbojevic and Nate Myles miss the All Stars through injury.
* Jackson Hastings (ankle) missed the Auckland Nines but is expected to be fit for round one.
* Darcy Lussick (wrist) will miss at least the first five games.
* Brett Stewart (knee) and Steve Matai (neck) are expected to retire.
* Matthew Wright (fractured hand) should be right for the start of the season.
* Pita Godinet (concussion, final trial) went down at the Nines.
* Dylan Walker (calf) picked up a minor injury at the Nines.
Eels: 1. Bevan French 2. Semi Radradra 3. Michael Jennings 4. Brad Takairangi 5. Josh Hoffman 6. Clinton Gutherson 7. Corey Norman 8. Tim Mannah 9. Cameron King 10. Nathan Brown 11. Manu Ma’u 12. Beau Scott 13. Tepai Moeroa. Interchange: 14. Kenny Edwards 15. Suaia Matagi 16. Sosaia Vave 17. Frank Pritchard
Notes:
* Clinton Gutherson is being groomed to play five-eighth following the exit of Kieran Foran (Warriors).
* Bevan French takes the fullback spot of Michael Gordon (Roosters), with recruit Josh Hoffman (Titans) slotting in on the wing.
* Cameron King has been heavily-backed to score the starting hooker spot, with coach Brad Arthur claiming he would prefer an 80 minute hooker to rotate four big-men on the bench.
* Recruits Nathan Brown (Rabbitohs), Suaia Matagi (Panthers), Sosaia Vave (Sea Eagles) and Frank Pritchard (Hull FC) add serious size and aggression to the pack.
Injuries/suspensions:
* Corey Norman (hamstring) missed the latter part of the Nines with a minor injury.
* Kenny Edwards (calf) couldn’t finish the Nines.
* Semi Radradra and Kenny Edwards both have impending court dates on domestic violence charges.