The third game on Saturday for NRL Round 25 is between Manly Sea Eagles and Melbourne Storm. The opening bounce is set to commence at 7:30pm with the game to be played at Brookvale Oval. The favourite for the match is away team Melbourne Storm. View our preview and teams for the game between Manly Sea Eagles and Melbourne Storm.
Brookvale Oval
Saturday 7.30pm
Manly Sea Eagles $1.97 vs Melbourne Storm $1.83 at Sportsbet Australia get a $250 FREE BET on this match
Manly Sea Eagles $2.25 vs Melbourne Storm $1.67 at Luxbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match
Odds Comparison by NRL Odds:
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| Manly Sea Eagles | 1.97 | 2.00 | 2.25 | 2.00 | 1.97 | 1.98 |
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Melbourne Storm
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1.83 | 1.80 | 1.67 | 1.80 | 1.83 | 1.85 |
Preview:
What a way to round of three good matches on Saturday.
There’s a lot of history between these two sides and these clashes always, without exception, produce fantastic games.
Both sides have named full strength line-ups and there will be standing room only on the Manly hill.
Manly’s only lost in the past eight weeks, some might say controversially, has come at the hands of South Sydney.
The Sea Eagles have scored first in the past eight games and will come out all guns blazing. Melbourne will have to weather the onslaught early but there’s no better at doing that then the Storm.
It was nothing but a training session for them last week as they embarrassed Parramatta 64 – 4.
It was their fourth win in a row and after a testing Origin season, the Storm appears to back to their best.
The two sides played out a draw back in round 10 at AAMI Park but Melbourne will hold no fears going to Brookvale, having won there last year 26 – 22.
Melbourne shade Manly in the betting but it’s hard to find a legitimate reason why. As they demonstrated earlier in the year, there’s nothing between the two sides and we can expect another close, low scoring encounter here.
Teams:
Manly Sea Eagles:
Brett Stewart, Jorge Taufua, Jamie Lyon, Steve Matai, David Williams, Kieran Foran, Daly Cherry-Evans, Brenton Lawrence, Matt Ballin, George Rose, Jamie Buhrer, Justin Horo, Glenn Stewart. Interchange: Richie Fa’aoso, James Hasson, Tom Symonds, David Gower 
Melbourne Storm:
Billy Slater, Sisa Waqa, Will Chambers, Maurice Blair, Justin O’Neill, Brett Finch, Cooper Cronk, Jesse Bromwich, Cameron Smith, Bryan Norrie, Kevin Proctor, Ryan Hoffman, Ryan Hinchcliffe. Interchange: Jason Ryles, Tohu Harris, Jordan McLean, Kenneath Bromwich, Tim Glasby 
Heavyweight struggles don’t worry Toovey
Just two games out from the NRL finals, Manly coach Geoff Toovey insists he is not concerned by his side’s inability to beat a fellow top four side all season.
The fourth-placed Sea Eagles will get their last chance to beat a premiership big gun on the regular season on Saturday night when they host bitter rivals Melbourne at Brookvale Oval.
With many experts predicting that the grand final winner will come from the top four, the match is a opportune time for the Sea Eagles to show their credentials.
Toovey claimed he had no idea about his side’s poor rrecord against top four rivals – with a 10-all draw against the Storm in round 10 the closest they have come to beating a competition heavyweight.
Their four other games against top two sides Sydney Roosters and South Sydney have all ended in defeat.
“I wouldn’t even know what it is,” Toovey said when asked about that record.
“I haven’t looked at that. I think in every game though we’ve been in the match this year, no matter who it is.
“We just need to find that bit extra.
“We don’t want to show our cards too early, we think we can show that bit extra come semi-final time.”
The Sea Eagles need to win one of their last two games to guarantee a top four finish.
They meet Penrith in the last round of the regular season.