Match Preview: Round 1 vs Cowboys
Summer’s over, the footy is here...it's time to fill 'The Fortress' for our first game of the 2025 season.
Match: Sea Eagles v Cowboys
Round 1 -
home Team
Sea Eagles
3rd Position
away Team
Cowboys
15th Position
Venue: 4 Pines Park, Sydney
After four months of toil, pre-season is finally over, as we count down to Saturday’s Round 1 clash with North Queensland Cowboys.
Fitter. Stronger. Faster. Connected. Now, it’s showtime.
Both teams go into the new season with high expectations – as do all clubs at this time of the year – after bowing out in week two of last season’s finals series.
The season-opener at Brookvale will see Manly’s two key recruits, Jazz Tevaga and Siua Taukei'aho, play their first games for the club.
Taukei'aho, a two-time premiership winner with the Roosters, will become Sea Eagles Player #661 and Tevaga, who played nine seasons with New Zealand Warriors, will become Sea Eagles Player #662.
The Cowboys will also feature a couple of their new recruits in John Bateman and former Sea Eagles utility forward, Karl Lawton.
They will also hand an NRL debut to Tom Duffy, who was last year voted halfback of the year in the Queensland Cup.
The most recent match between these teams was their one and only meeting last year, when Daly Cherry-Evans slotted a match-winning, golden-point field goal to secure a one-point victory in Townsville.
Team Lists:
Match: Sea Eagles v Cowboys
Round 1 -
home Team
Sea Eagles
away Team
Cowboys
Team Lists
Backs
-
Fullback for Sea Eagles is number 1 Tom TrbojevicFullback for Cowboys is number 1 Scott Drinkwater
-
Winger for Sea Eagles is number 2 Jason SaabWinger for Cowboys is number 2 Braidon Burns
-
Centre for Sea Eagles is number 3 Tolutau KoulaCentre for Cowboys is number 3 Jaxon Purdue
-
Centre for Sea Eagles is number 4 Reuben GarrickCentre for Cowboys is number 4 Viliami Vailea
-
Winger for Sea Eagles is number 5 Lehi HopoateWinger for Cowboys is number 5 Murray Taulagi
-
Five-Eighth for Sea Eagles is number 6 Luke BrooksFive-Eighth for Cowboys is number 6 Tom Dearden
-
Halfback for Sea Eagles is number 7 Daly Cherry-EvansHalfback for Cowboys is number 7 Thomas Duffy
Forwards
-
Prop for Sea Eagles is number 8 Taniela PasekaProp for Cowboys is number 8 Jordan McLean
-
Hooker for Sea Eagles is number 9 Jazz TevagaHooker for Cowboys is number 9 Reece Robson
-
Prop for Sea Eagles is number 10 Siosiua TaukeiahoProp for Cowboys is number 10 Sam McIntyre
-
2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 11 Haumole Olakau'atu2nd Row for Cowboys is number 11 John Bateman
-
2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 12 Ben Trbojevic2nd Row for Cowboys is number 12 Jeremiah Nanai
-
Lock for Sea Eagles is number 13 Jake TrbojevicLock for Cowboys is number 13 Reuben Cotter
Interchange
-
Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 14 Jake SimpkinInterchange for Cowboys is number 14 Karl Lawton
-
Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 15 Corey WaddellInterchange for Cowboys is number 15 Harrison Edwards
-
Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 16 Ethan BullemorInterchange for Cowboys is number 16 Griffin Neame
-
Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 17 Toafofoa SipleyInterchange for Cowboys is number 17 Coen Hess
Reserves
-
Replacement for Sea Eagles is number 18 Clayton FaulaloReplacement for Cowboys is number 18 Kai O'Donnell
Match Officials
- Referee: Peter Gough
- Touch Judge: Kasey Badger
- Touch Judge: Drew Oultram
- Senior Review Official: Ashley Klein
Last updated:
NRL Stats:
- The Sea Eagles have won five of their past seven games against the Cowboys.
- The Cowboys have won their past two games at 4 Pines Park.
- Tom Trbojevic has scored a try in six consecutive games at 4 Pines.
- The Cowboys have never won an opening round game in Sydney.
- Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold has won six from seven against the Cowboys.
