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Manly Sea Eagles vs North Queensland Cowboys Tips & Preview - Sea Eagles to win at Brookvale in NRL Round 1

Jeremy Darke

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Last updated: 06 Mar 2025

Jeremy Darke 06 Mar 2025

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Manly Sea Eagles vs North QLD Cowboys expert predictions for Saturday’s Round 1 NRL game
Manly Sea Eagles aim to build on strong 2024 home form in 2025 opener
Tom Trbojevic has an impressive try-scoring record at 4 Pines Park

Manly Sea Eagles vs North Queensland Cowboys Preview
Head to Head
Manly Sea Eagles Form
Manly Sea Eagles Team News
Manly Sea Eagles Team List
North Queensland Cowboys Form
North Queensland Cowboys Team News
North Queensland Cowboys Team List

Manly Sea Eagles vs North Queensland Cowboys Preview

Manly were strong at home in 2024 and that can continue with an opening win of 2025. Back the Sea Eagles to cover a -6.5 point handicap line.

Tom Trbojevic is the key to Manly success and has an incredible record at 4 Pines, scoring 19 tries in 23 games. Take him in the tryscorer markets.

Manly won 8 of 11 home games in 2024, covering the line in 7 of 8 victories.
The Sea Eagles had an average winning margin of 17.37 points at 4 Pines Park in 2024.
Manly scored 24 points or more in 9 of 12 matches as the home team in 2024.
Tom Trbojevic has scored 19 tries in 23 games at 4 Pines Park, including at least one try in his last six games at the venue.

Head to Head

Manly won the only match between these two clubs in 2024, beating the Cows in a 1-point thriller at QCB Stadium, in round 18.

Daly Cherry-Evans kicked the game winning field goal in the third minute of golden point, after Scott Drinkwater tied up the match with a two-point field goal inside the final 4 minutes of the match.

Manly lead the recent head-to-head stats over North Queensland, winning 5 of the last 7 matches.

Manly Sea Eagles Form

Manly were a good side in patches last season and have the potential to be in the finals mix again in 2025.

Nine of their 13 wins in 2024 came at Brookvale, which is a positive and a concern. The Sea Eagles were a different team at 4 Pines Park, averaging 28.5 points in attack and just 17.58 opposition points as the home team.

Compared with season averages, that would have made them the third-best attacking team in the comp and the second-best defensive side.

The problem for Manly was the contrast away from the Northern Beaches, averaging just under 5 points less in attack, while conceding 9 more points per game in defence.

Manly Sea Eagles Team News

New recruit Jazz Tevaga will start at hooker for the injured Lachlan Crocker who has been ruled out for a month with a knee injury.

Siosiua Taukeiaho will return to the NRL after a stint overseas and will slot right into the frontrow for the Sea Eagles.

Manly Sea Eagles Team List

1. Tom Trbojevic

2. Jason Saab

3. Tolutau Koula

4. Reuben Garrick

5. Lehi Hopoate

6. Luke Brooks

7. Daly Cherry-Evans

8. Taniela Paseka

9. Jazz Tevaga

10. Siosiua Taukeiaho

11. Haumole Olakau’atu

12. Ben Trbojevic

13. Jake Trbojevic

Interchange

14. Jake Simpkin

15. Corey Waddell

16. Ethan Bullemor

17. Tof Sipley

Reserves

18. Clayton Faulalo

19. Dean Matterson

20. Gordon Chan Kum Tong

21. Jake Arthur

22. Josh Aloiai

North Queensland Cowboys Form

Who are the Cowboys in 2025? When you think of the Cowboys you think of Thurston, Scott and Bowen, then Val Holmes and Kyle Feldt. With now all five moving on, who will become the identity of the North Queensland Cowboys?

The Cows did well to finish fifth last season, considering the way they could simply drop out of matches, especially defensively, conceding a flurry of tries, often in the second half. With some real firepower missing in the backline in 2025, discipline in defence is going to have to lift.

A huge addition is John Batemon in the second row, giving the Cowboys one of the most dangerous backrows in the NRL with Jeremiah Nanai and Rueben Cotter.

North Queensland Cowboys Team News

Kyle Feldt, Val Holmes and Chad Townsend have all exited the club with the Cowboys facing the challenge of filling the big shoes left by a couple of their stalwarts over the past seasons.

Braidon Burns takes over for Feldt on the Wing while Jaxon Purdue claims the centre spot of Holmes. Tom Duffy has won the first crack at the halfback spot, being picked of Jake Clifford, who was impressive last season when given a chance in the halves.

John Bateman is probably the biggest addition for the Cowboys and will look to lead his new club in the backrow. Karl Lawton will start his career in the North from the bench, trading the Northern beaches for Townsville.

North Queensland Cowboys Team List

1. Scott Drinkwater

2. Braidon Burns

3. Jaxon Purdue

4. Viliami Vailea

5. Murray Taulagi

6. Tom Dearden

7. Thomas Duffy

8. Jordan McLean

9. Reece Robson

10. Sam McIntyre

11. John Bateman

12. Jeremiah Nanai

13. Reuben Cotter

Interchange

14. Karl Lawton

15. Harrison Edwards

16. Griffin Neame

17. Coen Hess

Reserves

18. Kai O'Donnell

19. Jake Clifford

20. Thomas Mikaele

21. Jaxson Paulo

22. Jason Taumalolo

Verdict

Manly Sea Eagles v North QLD Cowboys

Tom Trbojevic is backed to cross for a routine try at Brookvale with Manly scoring over 24.5 points and covering the 6.5 points as the favourites.

Manly -6.5

Handicap/Line

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