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Manly Sea Eagles vs St George Illawarra Dragons NRL Betting Tips - Finals hopes on the line in Round 26

jeremy-darke
Jeremy Darke
Editor
Last updated: Wed 26 Aug 2026 21:50
The Manly Sea Eagles need a victory to remain in finals contention, and are strong favorites against the struggling St George Illawarra Dragons. Recent form and history are in Manly's favor, especially after a strong attacking performance last week with Tom Trbojevic's return. The Dragons have one of the league's weakest defences, often conceding 30+ points per game, making Manly likely to cover the -7.5 handicap and top 28.5 points. Josh Feledy is tipped as a top try scorer. Key recommendation: back Manly with the line and over in total points.
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  • Manly favored to cover -7.5 vs Dragons and score 28.5+ points.
  • Dragons' defence leaks 30+ points frequently; attack is weakest in NRL.
  • Josh Feledy tipped as top anytime tryscorer.
manly sea eagles
Manly Sea Eagles to get the win they need (Getty Images)

Manly Sea Eagles vs St George Illawarra Dragons Verdict


Manly must win to stay in finals contentions and they are backed to do so. They are value to cover the -7.5 points line and score over 28.5 points against bottom of the ladder Dragons.

  • Manly have won three of their last four games against St George Illawarra.
  • All three of those victories have come by margins of 10 points or more.
  • Manly have scored at least 28 points in nine of their 10 wins this season.
  • St George Illawarra have conceded 30+ points 10 times this season.
  • Josh Feledy scored a hat-trick against Newcastle last weekend.

Head to Head


The Sea Eagles have won three of the past four clashes, beating the Dragons 30-14 in 2024, 40-24 in 2025 and 28-18 earlier this season. Each of those wins came by double figures.

The Round 6 meeting provides another strong reference point for the current handicap, with Manly already covering the -7.5 line against the Dragons away from home this season.

Manly Sea Eagles Form


Manly's finals hopes are hanging by a thread, but last week's performance showed what this side can produce when its attacking pieces are available.

The Sea Eagles ran in 44 points and made nine linebreaks against Newcastle, with Tom Trbojevic making an immediate impact in his return from injury. Manly scored 38 points after falling 18-6 behind and found attacking opportunities across both sides of the field.

Their overall recent form remains poor, with last week's victory snapping a six-game losing streak, but the return of Turbo changes the ceiling of this attack significantly. 

The Sea Eagles have averaged 24 points across the season and have consistently pushed beyond that mark when winning.

St George Illawarra Dragons Form


The Dragons' brief improvement came to an abrupt end with a 44-14 loss to Canterbury.

St George Illawarra had previously beaten Cronulla and the Wests Tigers, but their defence remains the major problem. They have conceded 651 points through 22 games, an average of almost 30 per match, and have allowed 30+ points on 10 occasions this season.

Their attack has also been the least productive in the competition, with just 358 points scored and an average of 16 per game.

Verdict

Sea Eagles are backed to win with a -7.5 cover against the Dragons. Manly Over 28.5 points fits their scoring profile when winning, while Josh Feledy Anytime Tryscorer is also tipped.


Best Bet1: Manly -7.5 Handicap/Line @10/11 at bet365 - 3 Units
Best Bet2: Manly Over 28.5 Team Total @10/11 at dabble - 1 Unit
Best Bet3: Josh Feledy Anytime Tryscorer @7/5 at Star Sports - 1 Unit
Best Bet4: Josh Feledy First Tryscorer @11/1 at Ken Howells - 1 Unit
Manly -7.5
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jeremy-darke
Jeremy Darke

Sports Editor & Betting Analyst • 15+ Years of Experience, Australian Sports Specialist

Jeremy is a freelance journalist who is a true sports activist. A die-hard fan of the NRL all his life and also has a passion for all the major American sports.


From when he was a little fella he has played most sports ranging from rugby, ice hockey, tennis and football, just to name a few. His interest in analytics and statistics helps him find the edge while writing previews and being a regular tipster.

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