- 1 Warriors vs Sea Eagles: the numbers behind a side in full flight
- 2 Warriors: a full-strength squad and an attack in overdrive
- 3 Sea Eagles: the season is done, but the points are still coming
- 4 NRL prediction New Zealand Warriors vs Manly Sea Eagles
- 5 First, a word on our free picks
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information changes
- 8 Your role
- 9 Responsible gambling first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the images…
Warriors vs Sea Eagles: the numbers behind a side in full flight 
The Warriors have put 40 points or more on the board in four of their last five outings. Five straight wins round off the picture ahead of Manly’s visit.
This final regular-season game takes place at Go Media Stadium in Auckland on Saturday, September 5, with kick-off at 5.00pm local New Zealand time, 3.00pm AEST. Round 27 closes the competition before the finals.
The stakes are clear for the Warriors: the Minor Premiership is being fought over from afar with Penrith, and it comes down to the winning margin on the final day. The Warriors have not lifted the regular-season crown since 2002.
Qualification and a first-week home final are already secured, but that has not stopped the coaching staff bringing back the big names. The aim is obvious: sharpen the edges before the knockout games start.
Manly, meanwhile, lost all hope of making the finals last weekend. Their season ends on Saturday, with nothing left but the chance to spoil the party in Auckland.
That spoiler tag does not make Kieran Foran’s side harmless. Manly have cracked 44 points in each of their last two wins, against the Dragons and the Knights.
One stat still looms over this fixture: the Sea Eagles have not won in Auckland since 2017. In the last four meetings there, the Warriors have three wins and a draw.
Warriors: a full-strength squad and an attack in overdrive 
Top of the table heading into this round, the Warriors arrive on a five-match winning streak. Their attack has been the clearest sign of that run.
Andrew Webster gets three major boosts for this one. Fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad is back from suspension, while halves Te Maire Martin and Chanel Harris-Tavita return from hamstring injuries.
The staff have, however, opted to rest Wayde Egan and Kurt Capewell. Sam Healey takes the No. 9 shirt and Eddie Ieremia-Toeava starts in the back row, two changes that do not dent the pack’s depth.
Adam Pompey steps into the wing spot vacated by Luke Laulilii, who is out with a concussion. Taine Tuaupiki, who has been at fullback over the last two rounds, drops to the bench with Nicoll-Klokstad back.
Jacob Laban sums up the mood nicely: the second-rower has scored five tries in his last five appearances. For a forward, that is an eye-catching return and tells you plenty about the volume of ball this side is pumping out.
That is the key point here. With internationals back and the bench strengthened, Auckland should enjoy a clear edge for pace and depth against a side with nothing tangible to play for.
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Sea Eagles: the season is done, but the points are still coming 
Ninth in the table, the Sea Eagles saw their finals hopes disappear last weekend. So this is about pride now, and little else, against the Warriors.
Kieran Foran has gone for stability by naming the same 19-man squad that beat the Dragons. Onitoni Large, who made his debut last week, keeps his place on the bench.
That continuity makes sense given the recent attacking output. Manly scored 44 points against the Dragons and again against the Knights, two displays that show what this group can do when the gears are turning.
The spine still looks dangerous on paper with Tom Trbojevic at the back, Haumole Olakau’atu in the second row and Jamal Fogarty at halfback. Those three are enough to threaten on just about every set.
Reuben Garrick has his own incentive too: he needs two tries to reach 100 NRL tries. That milestone could sharpen his edge in attack.
The real problem is geography and history. No win in Auckland since 2017, and a late-season trip to face the leaders – that is a long list of hurdles for a side already out of the race.
Probable New Zealand Warriors line-up: Nicoll-Klokstad ; Pompey, Leiataua, Halasima, Khan-Pereira ; Harris-Tavita, Martin ; Fisher-Harris, Healey, Barnett, Ieremia-Toeava, Laban, Clark
Probable Manly Sea Eagles line-up: T. Trbojevic ; Saab, Feledy, Garrick, Hopoate ; Faulalo, Fogarty ; Laiafi, Wakeham, Brown, Olakau’atu, B. Trbojevic, J. Trbojevic
NRL prediction New Zealand Warriors vs Manly Sea Eagles
Our prediction: Over 48.5 points in the match
Both attacks are in a hot streak. Auckland have gone past 40 points in four of their last five games, and Manly have done the same in each of their last two wins.
The situation points the same way. The Warriors need the biggest possible winning margin to pip Penrith to the Minor Premiership, so there is no room for game management. On the other side, an eliminated team with nothing to lose defensively rarely turns into a locked-down unit for 80 minutes.
The bookmakers have set the line at 48.5 points at odds of 1.91. This total should go over.
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