Manly Sea Eagles v Canberra Raiders NRL tips & preview | 23/3/25

Sea Eagles v Raiders NRL R3 best bets

NRL Round 3: Eels vs Bulldogs betting preview

The Manly Sea Eagles return home to 4 Pines Park to take on a red-hot Canberra Raiders side in a Round 3 NRL showdown this Sunday night.

Manly are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 36-16 loss to the Warriors, where injuries to Tom Trbojevic and Daly Cherry-Evans derailed their performance.

Meanwhile, the Raiders are flying high, sitting second on the NRL ladder after an impressive 32-22 win over the Broncos.

The big question is whether Trbojevic and Cherry-Evans will be fully fit, as their presence will be key to Manly’s chances of keeping their home record intact.

Manly have a strong history at Brookvale, covering the spread in 20 of their last 32 home games, with the top NRL betting sites placing Manly as $1.55 favourites.

However, Canberra have proved to be a difficult team to contain, with Xavier Savage returning from suspension and the Raiders’ forward pack showing dominance over the opening two rounds.

Manly’s attack is lethal when at full strength, and Canberra’s defence will be tested against a side that can pile on points quickly at home.

Eels v Bulldogs Round 3 team news

Manly Sea Eagles

1. Tom Trbojevic
2. Jason Saab
3. Tolutau Koula
4. Reuben Garrick
5. Lehi Hopoate
6. Luke Brooks
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Taniela Paseka
9. Jazz Tevaga
10. Siosiua Taukeiaho
11. Haumole Olakau’atu
12. Ben Trbojevic
13. Jake Trbojevic
14. Jake Simpkin
15. Corey Waddell
16. Ethan Bullemor
17. Josh Aloiai

Manly have named Tom Trbojevic (hamstring) and Daly Cherry-Evans (back) despite both being injured last week. Tolutau Koula (thigh) and Siosiua Taukeiaho (knee) return, with Josh Aloiai moving to the bench and Toafofoa Sipley dropping out.

Canberra Raiders

1. Kaeo Weekes
2. Savelio Tamale
3. Matthew Timoko
4. Sebastian Kris
5. Xavier Savage
6. Ethan Strange
7. Jamal Fogarty
8. Josh Papalii
9. Tom Starling
10. Corey Horsburgh
11. Hudson Young
12. Matty Nicholson
13. Morgan Smithies
14. Owen Pattie
15. Simi Sasagi
16. Trey Mooney
17. Ata Mariota

Canberra welcome back Xavier Savage from suspension, replacing Albert Hopoate on the wing. Zac Hosking (hand) is out, with Morgan Smithies starting and Trey Mooney added to the bench. Matty Nicholson retains his spot after a two-try debut.

Manly Sea Eagles v Canberra Raiders Rd 3 betting tips

The Raiders have defied expectations early in the NRL 2025 season, showing resilience and an ability to close out games. Their win over the Broncos was built on strong forward play, and with Manly’s two key attacking weapons under injury clouds, this game presents an excellent upset opportunity. Canberra won at Brookvale last year, and with their main scoring threat back in the side, the $2.50 odds at BetOnline for a Raiders win is too good to ignore.

Young winger Savelio Tamale has started the 2025 NRL season in fine form, with his powerful running and finishing ability making him a key weapon on Canberra’s right edge. The Sea Eagles’ defence was torn apart by the Warriors last week, especially on the edges, where their wingers were caught out multiple times. Tamale will likely line up against Lehi Hopoate, who is still relatively inexperienced, so he should get plenty of opportunities close to the line at +120 to score a try with BetOnline.

Both teams have been involved in high-scoring contests early in the season, with Canberra’s first two matches both going well over 50 points. Manly’s defensive frailties were exposed by the Warriors, and if Tom Trbojevic plays, the Sea Eagles’ attack should function much better than last week. The Raiders have been aggressive in attack, with Jamal Fogarty controlling play well, and if Manly can stay in the contest, the over 49.5 points will be very much in the mix at $1.91 with BetOnline.

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