Manly Sea Eagles Auckland Nines Preview

Pool: Piha Pool (Manly, Parramatta, New Zealand, St George Illawarra)

Squad: Brenton Lawrence (c), Jono Wright, Matt Wright, Brian Kelly, Akuila Uate, Jorge Taufua, Pita Godinet, Cameron Cullen, Peter Schuster, Tom Wright, Joey Lussick, Shaun Lane, Frank Winterstein, Jarrad Kennedy, Curtis Sironen, Addin Fonua-Blake, Martin Taupau, Lloyd Perrett

Games

vs New Zealand Warriors (11:15AM Feb 4 AEDT)
vs St George Illawarra Dragons (2:45PM Feb 4 AEDT)
vs Parramatta Eels (9:25AM Feb 5 AEDT)

Head coach Trent Barrett promised to send a ‘weaker’ squad this year after the 2016 Auckland Nines saw several of Barrett’s men injured over the course of two days. The coach has delivered on his promise, resting Daly Cherry-Evans, Dylan Walker, Apisai Koroisau, Blake Green and the Trbojevic brothers for the weekend.

While the stars have been rested, Manly fans will still be watching with peak interest, with nine recruits named in the squad, including Akuila Uate, Shaun Lane and Curtis Sironen. In fact, captain Brenton Lawrence is one of only two players in the squad to be with Manly longer than a single season.

Rumours continue circulating that premiership winners Brett Stewart and Steve Matai are set to hang up the boots before the season starts, creating a battle for backline spots, set to start at the Nines. The left centre will be the most hotly contested position, with Jono and Matt Wright, along with youngster Brian Kelly, all candidates for the spot.

Who To Watch: Tom Wright. A former schoolboy rugby star, the five-eighth’s lightning feet are set to wreak havoc on defences across the Auckland Nines. While the spotlight will be firmly on recruits like Uate, Lane and Sironen resurrecting their careers, Wright is set to ignite his as he goes head-to-head with star halves Shaun Johnson and Corey Norman. Why he may not be able to keep up with those superstars, he’s sure to announce himself come next weekend.

Why They Can Win: Redemption. There’s nothing that motivates a player more. Of the nine recruits to make the squad, six were told they weren’t wanted by the club. Handed their first chance to prove their ex-clubs wrong, the exiles are sure to send a timely reminder that they aren’t a spent force. Jono Wright and Shaun Lane will come against their former club, the Warriors, in the pool stage, with inspired performances sure to come.

Why They Can’t Win: Organisation. Sure, they’ve got speed. They’ve got power. But while halves Cameron Cullen, Pita Godinet and Tom Wright are all unpredictable, they lack the ability to set up plays or build pressure. Joey Lussick is the most recognised hooker in the squad, another area where their organisation may struggle. They won’t have any trouble getting down the field, but they’ll find it tough to get over the line.

Prediction: Manly have the squad to trouble the opposition, but lack the killer blow. If Marty Taupau can find his feet in the tournament, he could play a big part in seeing Manly advance past the pool stage. But with the squad put up by the Warriors and Parramatta, Manly seem destined to fight it out with the Dragons for their pool’s third spot.