Melbourne Storm vs Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Prediction, Tips & Odds

The traditional grudge match sees the teams at an unusual juncture, with the Storm out of the finals race and the Sea Eagles looking to arrest a slump and stay in the Top 8 hunt.  

FORM: Melbourne has lost its last three to the Roosters (14-6), Rabbitohs (28-26) and Bulldogs (36-22), leaving the perennial heavyweights in 12th with an 8-12 record.  

Manly has tumbled to 10th with four straight losses prior to last week’s bye, culminating in a jarring 48-12 home defeat to Cronulla.  

INS AND OUTS: Cam Munster returns for Melbourne, pairing with Hayden Watson in the halves with Jahrome Hughes still out. Tyran Wishart goes to hooker and Trent Toelau moves to the bench. Jack Howarth is also back at centre.  

Tolu Koula shifts back to the centres for Manly with Blake Wilson called up on the wing. Brandon Wakeham and Corey Waddell also return, while Ben Trbojevic and Kobe Hetherington are out.  

KEY MATCH-UP: Munster will be eager for a big game for his injury-ravaged team, while rookie Joey Walsh will relish the chance to line up opposite the modern great.  

HISTORY: The Sea Eagles have had the wood on the Storm in recent seasons, winning five of the last seven encounters – including a gutsy 18-16 win at AAMI Park last year and a dominant 30-4 result at 4 Pines Park just six weeks ago.  

KEY STAT: These teams’ last five encounters in Melbourne all produced totals of 36 points or less.  

VERDICT: The Storm have shown plenty of heart on their current hat-trick of losses, hamstrung by the absence of their superstars but going down swinging. Meanwhile, there were real danger signs that the air has well and truly gone out of Manly’s Foz-inflated balloon in their last outing.  

The Sea Eagles’ only win on the road since Round 7 was in Magic Round against the Tigers, while the Storm have won five of their last six at AAMI Park and have no business being underdogs here.  

Prediction: Back the Storm to Win @ $2.10 

SGM: STORM BY 1-12 / OVER 48.5 TOTAL POINTS / LEHI HOPOATE ANYTIME TRYSCORER / TYRAN WISHART ANYTIME TRYSCORER @ $43.30