- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
The Canterbury Bulldogs will be looking to strengthen their hold on a top-four spot when they host the Manly Sea Eagles at ANZ Stadium on Thursday night. To follow all of the action make sure you join us on The Roar from 7:50pm (AEST).
While some may be writing them off as premiership hopefuls, the Bulldogs have put themselves in a great position heading into finals.
Sitting in fourth spot on the ladder, a game clear of the Cowboys in fifth, the Bulldogs will be looking for a big win in Round 23 to fasten their grip on a top-four spot.
With consistency having been their arch enemy all season long, expect the Bulldogs to come out firing as they look to build up a head of steam in the run to the finals.
A season of two halves would be an accurate way to describe 2016 for the Manly Sea Eagles as they have picked up their performances since the half way point of the season.
After being ravaged by injury early in the year, many wrote off the Sea Eagles as a finals chance but a mini resurgence sees them still a mathematical chance to play finals.
While it would take something special to get that far, expect Manly to play spoilers for a few other teams in the final month of the minor rounds.
In selection news for this game the Bulldogs have added Kerrod Holland and Lloyd Perrett to an extended squad while the Sea Eagles welcome back Jamie Lyon who will start at five-eighth which means Dylan Walker will start in the centres.
The Bulldogs come into the game on the back of consecutive victories against the Knights and Dragons, while the Sea Eagles are coming off a nail-biting loss to the Eels last week.
While there is plenty at stake for both teams in terms of the season, there will also be plenty of intriguing story lines to follow in this game.
The battle of the forward packs is always one to watch and this one will be no different as Aiden Tolman, James Graham and David Klemmer of the Bulldogs will face off against Darcy Lussick, Martin Taupau and Jake Trbojevic of the Sea Eagles.
One final duel to watch will be between the talented fullbacks as Will Hopoate will be looking to outshine the Sea Eagles young gun Tom Trbojevic, who has been taking all before him.
Prediction
Despite the Sea Eagles having had a solid last month, the Bulldogs will be too powerful up front and this will set up the win for them.
Bulldogs by 12 points.
Will the Bulldogs consolidate their spot in the top four or can the Sea Eagles keep their mathematical finals chances alive? Join us on The Roar from 7:50pm (AEST) to follow all of the action.
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.