Manly Sea Eagles v North Queensland Cowboys: NRL Saturday preview

Manly Sea Eagles and North Queensland Cowboys get their 2025 NRL campaign underway when they clash at 4 Pines Park on Saturday.

Both teams begin the season with high hopes and will be looking to stake a claim for a top-four finish.

They may be outsiders for the grand final, but there is enough quality in both teams to upset the odds over the coming weeks and months.

Manly were very strong at home in 2024 and will look to carry on where they left off when they run out on home soil.

It is a big season for the Cowboys as they celebrate their 30-year anniversary, so they will be even more fired up to get the season off to a strong start.

Manly Sea Eagles v North Queensland Cowboys betting preview

4 Pines a fortress for Sea Eagles

Manly were very strong at 4 Pines Park in 2024, losing just two games on home soil.

If they are to have a strong season, it is important they make the famous old ground a fortress once again.

Manly also have a great record against the Cowboys, winning five of the last seven meetings, and will be confident of adding to that tally.

When they met last season in Townsville, the Sea Eagles won 21-20, but they will be hoping for a more convincing win on this occasion.

They can be backed at 2.50 to win by 13+ points.

Tom Trbojevic will be a massive player for them and the Sea Eagles will be delighted to have him fully fit for the start of the season.

The fullback has scored a try in the last six games at home and is priced at 1.95 to score at anytime against the Cowboys.

Cowboys out to cause an upset

The Cowboys have a good record at 4 Pines Park in recent seasons, winning there on their last two visits.

The last time the Cowboys played at the ground back in 2023 they won 19-8 and would love to pull off the same kind of result on Saturday.

They will have to defy history in one sense however, as they have never won a Round 1 fixture in Sydney.

North Queensland are set to unveil a new-look halves pairing, with Tom Duffy set to make his NRL debut alongside Tom Dearden.

The Cowboys have lost some firepower, however, with both Kyle Feldt and Valentine Holmes having moved on.

But that presents Braidon Burns with a chance to shine on the wing and he is 2.50 to score at anytime against Manly.

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Manly Sea Eagles v North Queensland Cowboys odds

Manly Sea Eagles - 1.44
North Queensland Cowboys - 2.80

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.