The last of the NRL Round 9 matches is on Monday night between Manly Sea Eagles and Sydney Roosters. The opening kick is set to commence at 7pm local time with the game to be played at Brookvale Oval in Manly. The home team the Manly Sea Eagles are the current favourites in the market but there isn’t too much that splits the two teams. View our preview and teams for the game between Manly Sea Eagles and Sydney Roosters.

Featured Bookmakers:

Manly Sea Eagles $1.85 vs Sydney Roosters $1.95 at Sportsbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match

Manly Sea Eagles $2.05 vs Sydney Roosters $1.80 at Luxbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match

Odds Comparison by NRL Odds:

Manly Sea Eagles	1.85	1.85	2.05	1.85	1.85	1.86
Sydney Roosters	1.95	1.95	1.80	1.95	1.95	1.97

Preview:

Saving the best to last is certainly the case for round 9!

The Roosters, who have won six from eight this season including their last three over Canterbury, St. George and Penrith by an average of 28 points, face a team that will proved an accurate gauge on the just how well the Roosters are travelling.

Playing with purpose and a focus on defence that sees them with currently the best record in the comp, the Roosters have a well balanced side and have directed around the part in good style by five-eight, James Maloney.

Manly are coming off two hard matches.

The first was a physical encounter that saw them go down to South Sydney (20 – 12) with the latest, on Monday night just gone where, after racing out to a 18-0 lead, they had to dig deep in defence to hold off a late charge by St. George 24 – 18.

They’ll welcome back strike centre Steve Matai who returns from a week suspension but run into a team that will be keen to validate their recent form with a win here.

Head to head Manly have won the last four clashes but during that time, Sydney haven’t been in the vein of form which they are currently displaying.

Think there’s a chance they might get Manly who have been softened up a little after the past two weeks and will be missing Brett Stewart with a back injury.

Teams:

Manly Sea Eagles:
Brett Stewart, Jorge Taufua, Jamie Lyon, Steve Matai, David Williams, Kieran Foran, Daly Cherry-Evans, Brenton Lawrence, Matt Ballin, Brent Kite, Anthony Watmough, Justin Horo, Glenn Stewart
Interchange: James Hasson, Tom Symonds, Jamie Buhrer, George Rose, Esi Tonga (one to be omitted)

Sydney Roosters:
Anthony Minichiello (c), Daniel Tupou, Michael Jennings, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, James Maloney, Mitchell Pearce, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Jake Friend, Martin Kennedy, Mitchell Aubusson, Sonny Bill Williams, Boyd Cordner.
Interchange: Daniel Mortimer, Frank-Paul Nuuausala, Aidan Guerra, Luke O’Donnell

Our chance to silence doubters: Roosters

The Sydney Roosters know what the critics are saying – that their path to the top four has been forged by beating up on the NRL’s lesser lights – and that Monday’s clash with Manly is a chance to silence those claims.

The Roosters came into this weekend’s round nine with the best attack and defence in the competition and a 6-2 record with losses to South Sydney and Canberra.

After some very astute off-season recruitment the Roosters have been one of the big movers of 2013 and have emerged as a genuine premiership contender.

But critics of the eastern suburbs-based team claim they are yet to be truly tested with their six wins coming over the Warriors, Brisbane, Parramatta, Canterbury, St George Illawarra, and Penrith – all sides that sat outside the top eight at the start of the weekend.

Prop Martin Kennedy moves into a starting position for the Roosters after an ankle injury to Sam Moa and the big Queenslander said the Sea Eagles at Brookvale Oval loom as the Roosters’ biggest test of the season to date.

“We are not deaf to what people have been saying that we haven’t been playing the greatest football at the start of they year and this is a chance to step it up,” Kennedy told AAP.

“If we don’t we will be very sore losers on Monday.

“We have been working very hard. It is a big game for us … a very big test.

“They have been a consistently good footy side over the last few years and have some very good senior players so we will have to be galvanised across the park.”

The Roosters have an atrocious record at Brookvale having won on just 11 of 45 visits.

Roosters enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves said the team knows a win over the Sea Eagles at Brookvale Oval will enhance their premiership aspirations.

“We have played only two teams in the top eight so this Monday is going to be a great challenge for us,” said Waerea-Hargreaves who played six games for Manly in 2009 before moving to Bondi Junction.

“It will be a great test of where we are at the moment and of where we need to improve. As a team we are all really looking forward to it. It is a great opportunity for us.”

Former New Zealand international Frank Paul Nuuausala comes into Kennedy’s bench spot.

For Manly, Jorge Taufua is likely to take Brett Stewart’s (back) fullback spot with either Peta Hiku or Esi Tonga to play on the wing.

Steve Matai returns from suspension for Manly and Sea Eagles back-rower Tom Symonds plays his first match against his old club in Anthony Watmough’s 250th NRL game.