Rugby League

2025-08-02 - Manly Sea Eagles vs Sydney Roosters

A Sports Betting Pick by Stu

Manly Sea Eagles v Sydney Roosters
Rugby League : Australia : NRL
Saturday 2nd August 2025 - KO 1935 AEST

Manly Sea Eagles

Manly enter this clash under real pressure. Sitting 9th on the ladder with a 9-9 record, the Sea Eagles are part of the congested mid-table traffic jam where a single win or loss can shift a team several spots. A defeat here, particularly at home, could seriously dent their finals hopes.

4 Pines Park remains one of the most hostile venues for visiting teams, and Manly will be desperate to harness that energy. They’ve won six of 9 at home this season and thrive when the game slows into a battle of territory and momentum.

Daly Cherry-Evans continues to guide the team with precision in his final season and ironically is facing off against his new club for next season – expect a big game from the Manly number 7. After last weeks poor showing, the entire backline needs a big rev up after last weekend’s dismal display.

Despite their potential attacking strength, concerns remain over Manly’s edge defence. Their losses this season have often featured second-half fades, and against a Roosters side that can score rapidly, that weakness could be exposed.

Manly Sea Eagles Team News - Corey Waddell replaces the injured Haumole Olakau'atu and Jake Simpkin returns with Tommy Talau on the bench.

Sydney Roosters

The Roosters, currently 8th on the table at 8-10, are finely poised to either come in hot into the finals or fade away after a great mid-season run. After a patchy first half to the season, they’ve steadied in recent weeks, with consecutive wins over Newcastle and the Cowboys reigniting their premiership push only to then fall short against the Tigers, Sharks and Melbourne over a 4-week span making this weeks clash all the more important.

Much of this resurgence has been driven by their spine finally gelling. Sam Walker and Hugo savala are playing in sync, and James Tedesco—often under pressure, has lifted significantly over the course of this season. Importantly, the Roosters are beginning to defend with more cohesion, conceding fewer line breaks and limiting second-phase play, albeit up to about 3 weeks ago as they have conceded just under 30 ppg over this period.

However, questions still linger around their consistency in away games. While they’ve performed well in Sydney-based venues overall, their record at Brookvale is poor—winning just two of their last ten matches there. The challenge will be to replicate their recent attacking balance while absorbing the chaos of a loud parochial Manly crowd.

Sydney Roosters Team News – Billy Smith and Hugo Savala are back in the starting team and Benaiah Ioelu is the new face on the bench. Radley is named in the extended squad as he eyes a return from injury.

Odds

Manly start favourites due to their amazing home record, $1.80 to $2.05, the line 2.5 points and total points is 46.5

The Betting Verdict

Round 22 serves up a finals-shaping clash on Saturday night as the Manly Sea Eagles host the Sydney Roosters in what could prove to be one of the most pivotal contests of the season. With both sides currently hovering around the edge of the top eight – 9th and 10th respectively, this encounter is more than just a rivalry—it’s a high-stakes test of nerve, structure, and late-season mettle.

Overall H2H, the Sea Eagles and Roosters share a deep rivalry, built on decades of high-stakes matchups. In 43 total meetings, the Sea Eagles hold the edge with 22 wins to Sydney’s 21. However, Manly’s record at Brookvale has often neutralised the Roosters’ dominance—particularly over the past decade. Manly win 62% of their home matches while the Roosters are 7-13 here.

Their last encounter came in in the finals last season, with the Roosters beating Manly 40-16 at Allianz Stadium in a physical, fast-paced contest. That meant the teams met 3 times in 2024, Manly winning at Brookvale, 21-14 and the Roosters just edging Manly 34-30 at Allianz, however this match at Brookvale changes the dynamic entirely.

Bookmakers have framed this as a near-even contest, with Sea Eagles slight favourites around $1.80 and Roosters paying $2.05. The line is tight at just 2.5 points, with total match points sitting at 46.5.
From a betting perspective, this match offers several compelling angles.

With such a narrow margin in pricing, Manly H2H at $1.80 presents good value—especially given their home-ground advantage and the Roosters inconsistent road form. If you lean towards the Roosters, the +2.5 line at $1.91 would be the best choice.

Another smart play is over 46.5 total points. These teams combined for 56 points in their last meeting, and both possess attacking systems capable of finding the try line quickly. With dry Saturday night conditions forecast and high stakes involved, expect both sides to play positively.

This matchup may well define the fate of both clubs seasons. Manly must win at home to stay in the top-eight hunt, while the Roosters have a chance to leap into the top six with a statement win. Expect intensity, tempo, and moments of brilliance in front of a hostile Brookvale crowd.

Alternate Bet: Sydney +2.5 points start $1.91