Eels vs Sea Eagles Prediction: Manly can set their sights on the top eight

The first State of Origin game of 2025 is just around the corner which means both the Parramatta Eels and Manly Sea Eagles will be without key personnel for Friday's encounter at the CommBank Stadium in Sydney (11:30am KO). 

With the new South Wales Blues and Queensland Maroons due to play on Wednesday, nearly every NRL team will have players missing this weekend as the two camps prepare for battle. Parramatta come into this game on the back of a 28-6 victory over the Newcastle Knights last week, their third win of the season, while Manly beat the North Queensland Cowboys 24-6. You can check out our Eels vs Sea Eagles Predictions and Best Bets below...

Team News 

Parramatta captain and halfback Mitchell Moses is missing as he prepares to feature for the Blues next week. 

The Eels are also without winger Zac Lomax, who has joined Moses at the Blues training camp. Dean Hawkins will come in for his fifth appearances of the season in the halves, while Sean Russell moves to the wing, meaning Jordan Samrani starts in the centres. 

Eels forward Kelma Tuilagi returns from suspension to start, moving Luca Moretti to the bench. 

Queensland captain Daly Cherry-Evans will not feature for the Eagles, while Jazz Tevaga moves to loose-forward to cover for Jake Trbojevic, who has been ruled out with a concussion. 

Jake Simpkin will start at hooker after impressing off the bench, while Matt Lodge has been named as a substitute for the first time this season. 

Parramatta Eels vs Manly Sea Eagles Odds

Despite having home advantage, the Eels are considered 17/10 outsiders for this matchup due to their poor form this season. The draw is 18/1, while Manly are 1/2 to win on the road. 

Manly are 10/11 to cover the -6 handicap and 4/6 to win the first half. 

Those expecting a high-scoring game can back over 46.5 points at 5/6. 

Manly Sea Eagles -6 @ 10/11 

Manly are firmly in the playoff picture after 10 matches and they have a game in hand over some of their rivals. 

The absence of Cherry-Evans is never a good thing for Manly, but they face a Parramatta team that are struggling for form. While last week's win over Newcastle was their best display of the season, they are now missing two of their key players. 

Manly beat the Eels 26-12 in Round 4 and a similar scoreline would not come as a huge surprise. Without their own playmaker, Manly will struggle to rack up the points, but they should have too much class for Parramatta.  

Parramatta Eels Total Points - Under 18.5 @ 20/21 

Last week's Eels win was a huge statement for the club, but both Moses and Lomax were on the scoresheet. 

Parramatta are yet to win a game without either Moses or Lomax this season and that is a tough mental barrier to break. 

Manly have most of their key players available and they should be able to limit the Eels to fewer than 18 points. Parramatta have only scored more than 18 points three times this season and they are unlikely to make it four without their star duo. 

You can read all our latest Rugby League Betting Tips at our dedicated Betfred Insights Rugby League content hub.