NRL Pre-Season 2023 - South Sydney Rabbitohs V Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

The NRL Pre-Season is a two-week competition featuring all 17 NRL clubs and English Super League champions St Helens. It's points based, with teams playing two games per week.

The Sea Eagles have some injury concerns - Tom Trbojevic and Daly Cherry-Evans both questionable for round one. Jake Trbojevic is set to make his comeback, but it's hard to see him playing more than second gear during the initial two weeks of trials.

South Sydney Rabbitohs

In the final round of the NRL Pre-Season Challenge, two Grand Finalists will square off in what could be a pivotal match. While Penrith are heavy favorites to win it all, Brisbane has an opportunity to shock everyone and reach 2022's final.

The Rabbitohs boast an impressive lineup to take on the Sea Eagles. They feature several young players with potential, such as Dion Teaupa who will be one to watch in 2023.

This game presents the Rabbitohs with a challenge as they aim to maintain their momentum from the first half of the season. Their front row, led by Christian Tuipulotu and Ben Trbojevic, are capable players; however it will be up to their defence to come out unscathed from this one.

Manly will be looking to make a statement in this contest as they aim for a record-breaking third consecutive win under Anthony Seibold. Toby Smith will be an important factor for Manly in this one, having been impressive under his new boss.

Despite a slow start in the first half, they managed to convert their defense into attack and race out to an impressive 14-0 lead thanks to Tom Carr's try and Dion Teaupa's conversion.

However, the Bunnies were unable to convert their try as Toby Smith was sent for an offside penalty in the 26th minute. They missed the kick and the lead remained at four points until Johns crossed for a second touchdown in the 38th minute.

With only minutes remaining in the game, the Rabbitohs were penalised for a high tackle on Sea Eagle Fletcher Myers. That resulted in Leon Te Hau being sent for ten minutes in the bin after swiping Myers on his shoulder.

The Rabbitohs still have a few chances to close the gap, but they must remain patient as Manly are always dangerous on attack. While they could get tries from several players, it's likely not all will be successful.

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are one of Sydney's premier rugby league clubs with a loyal fanbase that numbers over 16,000 members. As one of Australia's most beloved clubs, they enjoy an enviable reputation among local and national rugby league enthusiasts.

Since 1947, Manly Warringah Sea Eagles and Northern Eagles have been competing in the NSWRL competition. Additionally, they have made multiple appearances in the NRL competition. Over these years they have gone by various names including Manly Warringah Sea Eagles and Northern Eagles.

Manly-Warringah attempted to form the Northern Eagles during the 1999 NRL season. Unfortunately, this venture failed and Manly returned to their original identity in 2002.

At first, the club adopted a white and maroon color scheme which reflected the hues of their Presidents Cup team. Later on, this was changed to the darker shade of maroon and white that they still use today.

Rugby league club the Melbourne Warriors boast a proud history, having won eight premierships since 1947. There have been many memorable moments throughout their journey, such as winning 24-10 against New Zealand Warriors in 1988 in the Grand Final.

The club has earned a well-deserved reputation for the caliber of its players and is widely considered one of the greatest teams in NRL history. In addition to winning a Grand Final, they've won four NSW Premiers Cups and been an NRL finalist multiple times.

Cooper Johns made a lasting impression in his first game for Manly-Warringah, scoring a hat-trick to help the Sea Eagles secure an impressive 30-28 victory against Souths at Gosford. Additionally, Johns helped his side come from an 18-4 first half deficit to take a 20-18 advantage into halftime.

The Sea Eagles are currently eighth on the ladder and could move up to fourth by beating this week's opponent, but it will take more than just a win for them to achieve this success. Their top six opponents - Storm, Eels, Panthers and Cowboys - are all in playoff contention so they must find their form at this stage of the season.

Pre-Season Challenge

The 2023 NRL Pre-Season Challenge will feature 18 teams, an overall winner, an innovative ladder/scoring system and a generous prize pool. Televised matches throughout the tournament offer clubs, players and fans an unforgettable experience as they eagerly await another Telstra Premiership in 2023.

The NRL Challenge will be a two-week competition offering $100,000 in prize money. All 17 NRL clubs as well as English Super League team St Helens will take part, encouraging 'open and entertaining play' with an innovative bonus points system to decide each match's victor.

Each NRL club can field up to 28 players in week one and 26 in week two, with unlimited interchanges available throughout. Furthermore, the league has implemented a system whereby the team with the highest points differential at the end of two weeks will take home the money.

At the end of two weeks, if there is still a tie, a golden point will be activated to determine who wins. Both teams may use the NRL Bunker with a count back determined by several statistics: most tries, goals, field goals and least penalties conceded.

Despite the heat, players were encouraged to come out and get some game time during their trial match. It served as a great chance for the team to test its fitness level and see how well they could adapt in an NRL environment.

South Sydney began the game with just two players on the bench, including young gun fullback Xavier Savage who is likely to miss the first three games due to suspension. Despite this, South Sydney still managed to beat Parramatta in front of an enthusiastic Mudgee crowd on Saturday.

This game marked the start of a two-week NRL Pre-Season Challenge, with both clubs competing for over $100,000 in prize money. To combat high temperatures in NSW, the NRL has delayed all trials by an hour in an effort to cool things off.

Round 1

The NRL Pre-Season Challenge is a brand new competition that pits all 17 NRL clubs and St Helens against each other in two matches over two weeks. The top club will win $100,000 in prize money!

In 2023, the competition will feature bonus points which teams can earn for various activities such as tries, line-breaks and offloads. This ensures no match is a forgone conclusion and allows all teams to take home something valuable when they take to the field!

It will also mark the first time the NRL has allowed unlimited interchanges for both players. This gives clubs more options and the flexibility to change their lineup at any point during a game.

Therefore, it's essential that each player gets a chance to demonstrate their talents during this game. The Rabbitohs will be hoping for an impressive showing from their players to prove they are the team to beat in 2023.

South Sydney have a lot of young players on their team, which could make it tough for the Rabbitohs to secure victory. Some key players must prove they are reliable when the regular season commences.

Aside from the obvious candidates to make the team, there will be plenty of unanswered questions surrounding the backline. They must determine how to maximize their outside backs and the fullback must provide an extra spark in the front row.

They must find an effective No.1 jersey, with Daine Laurie expected to start in the role; therefore, it will be essential for them to perform at their peak performance level. There are other newcomers who must also demonstrate what they can do when given an opportunity in the NRL.

The Knights had a slow start to the game and committed 19 errors throughout 80 minutes. Nevertheless, they managed to keep the score down and looked strong when their defence was tested. If they are going to beat the Sharks in round one, they must find their form.