Manly Sea Eagles

The seven tries to one win was the first time Cronulla players have left the Northern Beaches with two competition points since 2008 and just their sixth triumph in 41 visits to Manly since joining the premiership in 1967.

It also officially put paid to any hope of the Sea Eagles making the finals after their fourth consecutive defeat.

Manly's sole try by captain Daly Cherry-Evans in the 77th minute staved off the equal worst defeat at Brookvale in the club's history but it was easily Cronulla's biggest win at the ground - eclipsing their 27-18 victory in 1974.

Seemingly in good shape after a Round 18 win over Newcastle, the Sea Eagles have slumped to four losses in a row for the first time since the opening month of the 2021 season to now sit four points outside the eight.

They face a confident and composed Sharks outfit who have a top-fourth berth well and truly in the grasp with games against Manly, Bulldogs and Knights to come.

Craig Fitzgibbon's men are playing a brand of footy well suited to high-pressure play-off games and they have every reason to believe a second premiership in seven years is a real possibility.

The Gold Coast, who headed into Sunday's match on a 10-game losing streak and without their skipper Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, who missed the game due to the impending birth of his second child, ran riot against Manly for their biggest win of the year.

The result all but ends Manly's top-eight hopes, while they also lost winger Jason Saab to a suspected ACL injury in the second half. 

After making the finals in 2021 the Titans have had a huge fall from grace, winning just three games all season and scrambling to avoid a second wooden spoon in four years.

The Sea Eagles find themselves two games out of the eight on the back of three straight losses and must turn things around quickly if they hope to be part of the finals action.

When these sides met in Round 6 it was Manly racing to a 24-4 half-time lead before taking their foot off the gas in the second term and hanging on to win 26-18.

Maika Sivo scored twice inside the opening eight minutes to get Parramatta, who were without injured halfback Mitchell Moses, off to a flying start at 4 Pines Park, but it soon became a contest where the lead changed on numerous occasions as both side's enjoyed periods of dominance. 

Trailing 20-14 with 28 minutes to go, the Eels powered back with tries to Waqa Blake, Gutherson, Will Penisini and Dylan Brown, to put the result beyond doubt. 

The blue and golds are walking a little taller after upsetting the Panthers on Friday while Manly endured a tough night against the Roosters with seven key players missing the game for personal reasons.

When these sides met at CommBank Stadium in round 11 it was the Eels squeaking home 22-20, with Manly losing Tom Trbojevic for the season to a shoulder injury.

Des Hasler's men will be hoping for better luck on home soil as they look to avenge that defeat and get on a roll towards the finals.

The Roosters' flyers were at their best with Joey Manu chalking up a try and 188 run metres on his return from injury and Daniel Tupou also crossing the line and carrying the ball for 203 metres.

An early dangerous tackle by Alfred Smalley on debut proved costly for the hosts as the Roosters opened the scoring in the fourth minute with a penalty goal.

Four minutes later the Roosters extended their lead when winger Daniel Tupou finished off some slick hands from Victor Radley, Luke Keary and Sam Walker to extend the lead to 8-0.

The Sea Eagles (9th) and Roosters (8th) are two of those sides along with the Raiders (10th) and Dragons (11th), so this showdown between the boys from Sydney's northern beaches and the Bondi brigade has massive ramifications.

It feels like an eternity since the Roosters downed Manly 26-12 in round two at the SCG, both sides battling injuries to star players and bouts of inconsistency since then but remaining well and truly in the hunt for September.

In the 37 meetings between the two sides in the NRL era, the Sea Eagles hold a slight 20-17 advantage.

The former Cowboy, Panther, Shark and Bronco will run onto the field on Thursday for the first time since 2019, when he received a 20-month suspension after testing positive for a prohibited substance. The positive test allegedly came after using a housemate’s blender.

The Dragons have slipped from eighth to 11th in the past two weeks but with back-to-back games at their spiritual home ground they get an ideal opportunity to put themselves back in the mix.

Manly have won four of their past five games and will look to shore up their place in the eight by taking care of the Dragons (11th) and Roosters (9th) in the next two weeks.

Having conceded 86 points in their past two games the Dragons need to put some steel back in their defence if they hope to subdue a potent Sea Eagles side averaging 35 points per game in the past five matches.