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The struggling Sea Eagles have copped another significant blow ahead of their Saturday night clash against the Broncos, with flashy winger Jason Saab ruled out due to illness.
Saab’s omission leaves Manly without two of their blue chip outside backs, with star fullback Tom Trbojevic also missing due to a thigh injury.
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When Saab and Trbojevic are both missing from Manly’s backline, the club’s record is an atrocious 0-9 and Nine’s expert tipsters have taken that into account, with the majority backing the Broncos to bounce back from a recent poor run of form to win at Brookvale.
Reuben Garrick and Jason Saab react during Manly’s round 12 loss to the Eels. Getty
Saab and Trbojevic are joined on the sidelines by spiritual leader Jake Trbojevic, who has not yet been cleared to return to play after being concussed in Manly’s win over the Cowboys a fortnight ago.
All three Origin players involved in the Manly v Broncos clash are expected to back up, with Daly Cherry-Evans a likely inclusion after a difficult night on Wednesday, while Broncos bookends Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan are also tipped to line up.
Speaking to media on Friday, Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold said “it shouldn’t matter” that several of his best players are out, adding he expects a “wholehearted performance” in front of the club’s parochial home fans.
“It’s difficult because you want your best players on the park,” he said.
“We’re down a couple of troops, but it shouldn’t matter. We’ve got great belief in the guys that we put in the jersey so I expect a really wholehearted performance.
“(I want to see) a Manly performance where we’re not looking at the scoreboard, we’re showing lots of effort and we’re having a crack for our mates and we make it really uncomfortable for the opposition, regardless who they are.”
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Saab will be replaced on the wing by Clayton Faulalo, with Lehi Hopoate deputising for Trbojevic in the No.1 jersey. Hopoate and Faulalo are joined in the back five by Tommy Taulau and regular centre pairing Reuben Garrick and Tolu Koula.
The Broncos and Sea Eagles sit eighth and ninth on the ladder respectively with both on 12 points. but the loser could sink as low as 13th by the end of the round depending on other results.
Manly have won just two of their last seven games. While Jake Trbojevic is likely to return for next Thursday’s clash with Newcastle, his brother may also miss that match but is expected to be fit to return against the Titans the week after.
“If it was a Sunday game (in round 14), it would be 100 per cent certain that he’d play, so that’d be the only consideration that the medical staff have told me,” Seibold said.
“He’ll get moving again today. It’s exactly the same issue he’s had for a few weeks with that leg. He just needed a rest and will hopefully be right for next Thursday night. It’s not a long-term injury.”
Scroll below for the current leaderboard and Round 13 tips by all Nine’s expert tipsters!
Nine’s NRL tipping leaderboard. Nine
Andrew Johns: Dragons, Storm, Cowboys, Broncos, Warriors, Eels, Raiders
Brad Fittler: Dragons, Storm, Cowboys, Broncos, Warriors, Eels, Roosters
Paul Gallen: Dragons, Storm, Cowboys, Broncos, Rabbitohs, Panthers, Roosters
Ruan Sims: Dragons, Storm, Cowboys, Sea Eagles, Warriors, Eels, Roosters
Darren Lockyer: Dragons, Storm, Cowboys, Broncos, Warriors, Panthers, Roosters
Peter Psaltis: Dragons, Storm, Cowboys, Broncos, Warriors, Eels, Roosters
Mat Thompson: Dragons, Storm, Cowboys, Broncos, Warriors, Panthers, Roosters
Michael Chammas: Dragons, Storm, Tigers, Broncos, Warriors, Panthers, Raiders
The Mole: Dragons, Storm, Cowboys, Broncos, Warriors, Eels, Raiders
Ben Glover: Dragons, Storm, Cowboys, Sea Eagles, Warriors, Panthers, Raiders
