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Sea Eagles v Cowboys: DCE back at the helm; Cotter, Nanai return

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pan66.com
Timestamp

The Cowboys sit comfortably in third position on the ladder with 10 wins as they continue a remarkable revival from last year's disastrous 15th place finish.

Todd Payten's men have won five from seven away games in 2022 so a trip to Manly's spiritual home shouldn't faze them, although the loss of young gun Heilum Luki for the season presents a significant challenge after a relatively injury-free run to date.

The Sea Eagles have had their own setbacks with superstar Tom Trbojevic and workhorse Karl Lawton gone for the season but Des Hasler won't be making any excuses if his team misses out on finals for the second time in three years.

With Haumole Olakau'atu and Josh Aloiai leading the way up front the Sea Eagles were way too good for the Tigers on Sunday and they will look to carry that momentum into two huge games against the Cowboys and then the Storm, both in front of the 4 Pines faithful.

Sportsbet Betting preview: Sea Eagles v Cowboys

The Rundown

Team news

Sea Eagles: Skipper Daly Cherry-Evans is back after missing the Tigers game with a quad injury so Kieran Foran shifts back to five-eighth, Josh Schuster goes to the bench and Ben Trbojevic to the reserves. Taniela Paseka is 18th man.

Cowboys: Maroons star Reuben Cotter is back on deck at prop so Coen Hess reverts to the second-row in the only late change to the team named on Tuesday. Jeremiah Nanai also returns after an ankle injury suffered in Origin One kept him out of the Dragons game. Nanai replaces Tom Gilbert, who is out with an eye injury. With rising star Heilum Luki (knee) out for the season, Connelly Lemuelu had been named in the second-row but he drops back to the interchange the squad was finalised 60 minutes before kick-off.

Team Lists

Backs

  • Fullback for Sea Eagles is number 1 Reuben Garrick
    Fullback for Cowboys is number 1 Scott Drinkwater 
  • Winger for Sea Eagles is number 2 Jason Saab
    Winger for Cowboys is number 2 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
  • Centre for Sea Eagles is number 3 Morgan Harper
    Centre for Cowboys is number 3 Valentine Holmes
  • Centre for Sea Eagles is number 4 Tolutau Koula
    Centre for Cowboys is number 4 Peta Hiku
  • Winger for Sea Eagles is number 5 Christian Tuipulotu
    Winger for Cowboys is number 5 Murray Taulagi
  • Five-Eighth for Sea Eagles is number 6 Kieran Foran
    Five-Eighth for Cowboys is number 6 Tom Dearden
  • Halfback for Sea Eagles is number 7 Daly Cherry-Evans
    Halfback for Cowboys is number 7 Chad Townsend

Forwards

  • Prop for Sea Eagles is number 8 Josh Aloiai
    Prop for Cowboys is number 8 Jordan McLean
  • Hooker for Sea Eagles is number 9 Lachlan Croker
    Hooker for Cowboys is number 9 Reece Robson
  • Prop for Sea Eagles is number 10 Toafofoa Sipley
    Prop for Cowboys is number 16 Jamayne Taunoa-Brown
  • 2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 11 Haumole Olakau'atu
    2nd Row for Cowboys is number 12 Jeremiah Nanai
  • 2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 12 Andrew Davey
    2nd Row for Cowboys is number 15 Coen Hess
  • Lock for Sea Eagles is number 13 Jake Trbojevic
    Lock for Cowboys is number 13 Jason Taumalolo

Interchange

  • Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 14 Dylan Walker
    Interchange for Cowboys is number 11 Connelly Lemuelu
  • Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 15 Josh Schuster
    Interchange for Cowboys is number 14 Jake Granville
  • Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 16 Martin Taupau
    Interchange for Cowboys is number 17 Griffin Neame
  • Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 17 Sean Keppie
    Interchange for Cowboys is number 19 Brendan Elliot

Reserves

  • Replacement for Sea Eagles is number 18 Taniela Paseka
    Replacement for Cowboys is number 18 Ben Condon

Match Officials

  • Referee: Gerard Sutton
  • Touch Judge: Dave Munro
  • Touch Judge: Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski
  • Senior Review Official: Chris Butler

Last updated:

Key match-up

Jake Trbojevic v Jason Taumalolo: The heart and soul of their respective teams. Both are highly respected and hugely important to their club's chances of premiership glory. Trbojevic was enormous against the Tigers with 120 run metres and 38 tackles and a similar performance will have him banging down the door for a recall to the NSW side for Game Two in Perth. Taumalolo tormented the Dragons with 23 hit-ups for 207 metres and threw in 32 tackles for good measure. Sit back and enjoy the showdown between two ultimate professionals who'll move mountains to get a win for their side.

Stat Attack

The Cowboys (171) and Penrith (152) are the only sides to have conceded less than 200 points in 2022. Remarkably the Cowboys have conceded just 48 second-half points all season at a tick over three points per second half. 

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National Rugby League respects and honours the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.

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