- Rockdale Ilinden sit fifth in the NPL New South Wales 2026 with 39 points from 25 matches, while Manly United are seventh with 34 points from 25.
- Manly United have conceded 21 on their travels (average 1.75 per-game).
- Manly United are unbeaten in their last five matches (3 wins, 2 draws), while Rockdale have won two, drawn one and lost two of their last five.
Style clash in Sydney
Rockdale press aggressively and use rapid wide attacks, while Manly United sit in a narrower block and aim to keep things tight and focus on set-piece efficiency.
This style clash should see the hosts attempt to raise the tempo, while the visitors will look to remain compact and strike in transition and from dead ball situations.
Rockdale is the favourite at 1.77, compared to Manly's 3.7 and the draw at 3.75, but the visitors unbeaten run and the hosts poor home form suggest this is going to be a competitive clash rather than a stroll in the park.
Rockdale’s form has been mixed
Paul Dee's Rockdale come into this match in a typical mixed form with two wins, a draw and two defeats in their last five.
The two most recent results saw his side thrash St George FC 6-1 away from home before suffering a 3-1 defeat at home against Sutherland Sharks, a proper rollercoaster.
The Roosters have won five, drawn one and lost six of their 12 home matches in the NPL New South Wales 2026, but they've scored 18 times on home patch and can cause Manly problems with their aggressive approach to the game.
Manly United have won twice, drawn three times and lost seven of their 12 away matches in the NPL New South Wales 2026.
The Maroons have kept things tight on their travels and will look to do the same on Sunday, but their defence has been breached 21 times at a rate of 1.75 goals per-game on average.
The recent head-to-head between these two sides is very even with Manly edging the latest clash by a 4-1 victory at home, but Rockdale are winless in the last two meetings with a draw and a loss.
Manly to keep it tight
The Maroons have seen some great results recently, most notably a 0-0 away draw with Sydney FC Youth and a 4-0 home win over Sydney Olympic.
While Rockdale are the likelier of the two to win this match, Manly's recent unbeaten run suggests they can keep it close and cause their opponents plenty of problems on the day.
The odds for both teams to score and over 2.5 goals at 1.5 and 1.55 respectively suggest the market expects an eventful afternoon in Sydney on Sunday rather than a cagey, tactical chess match, but with Manly's structure and Rockdale's inconsistent home form, we're leaning towards the latter.
