Sea [of Red] Eagles at Suncorp

Sea Eagles fans will be paying close attention to Sunday’s match in Brisbane when Tonga plays its first game of this year’s Pacific Championships.

The blockbuster against Samoa will attract a record crowd for a Pacific clash with Manly supplying two of Tonga’s many strike weapons.

Lehi Hopoate and Tolu Koula were both in red last year when Tonga was narrowly beaten by Australia in the Pac Champs final. 

Twelve months on and both players are again itching to represent their pacific heritage after taking their game to new heights in 2025.

Koula makes his debut for Tonga in 2022

Koula enjoyed a breakout year in his fourth season at Manly, claiming the Roy Bull ‘Best and Fairest’ Award for season 2025.  As well as making countless line-breaks, the 23-year-old speedster scored 17 tries in 22 appearances.

Koula named Sea Eagles Best & Fairest in 2025

In just his second season of first grade, Hopoate was one of the other feel-good stories for Manly in 2025.

Hopoate makes his debut for Tonga at Suncorp Stadium in 2024

Voted by Manly Members as their Player of the Year, the 20-year-old scored eight tries in 22 games, split evenly between wing and fullback.

Tolu and Lehi will line up against one of their Manly teammates from 2025, Jazz Tevaga, who is off to the English Super League next season.

The hard-nosed hooker didn’t miss a game in his one season at Manly and has been cleared to play after a head knock in last weekend’s loss to New Zealand.

Tevaga: One of only three Manly players to play all 24 games in 2025

Sea Eagles outside back Clayton Faulalo is unlikely to feature for Samoa after being named as a reserve.