Friday night NRL action features 4 promising teams which would have been expected to be higher at this stage of the season. One of the closest beginnings to the competition in recent memory has teams fighting hard for victories.
The first game on Friday heads down to Canberra with the 16th placed Raiders hosting the 9th placed Panthers. With just 2 wins between them, both will be up for this contest. It is always a tough road trip down to the nation’s capital and the Raiders will be out to maintain this standard.
Check out our preview and betting tips for Raiders vs Panthers below!
NRL Round 5 Preview & Betting Tips
Canberra Raiders vs Penrith Panthers
GIO Stadium, Friday 31st March, 6pm (AEST)
Things looked promising for the Raiders against the Knights in Round 4. They lead 14-8 at HT but began the second half by conceding 3 tries in 6 minutes, culminating in the loss of Wighton to the Sin Bin prior to the third being scored. They were then kept scoreless in the second half, eventually losing 24-14 in a match they should’ve won. It was yet another frustrating performance from a capable team. They had an inferior completion rate (85% vs 72%) while having slightly less time in possession (51% vs 49%), made only 3 line breaks (conceded 7) and missed 45 total tackles. There were some positives, mainly to do with their ball carrying; they averaged more metres per carry (10.2m vs 10.8m) and accumulated more post contact metres (713m vs 737m). They now find themselves in second-last place and need a better level of execution.
The Panthers were also defeated in Round 4 and have the same number of victories this season as the Raiders. They were upset in Golden Point by the Eels, a result that was made possible through the near-perfect execution of their opponents. They were still strong in most areas, particularly in defence where they missed just 12 tackles and allowed 1 line break. Another loss is hardly cause for concern, but their shortcomings were again exposed. They have a target on their back as the 2-time Premiers this season and opponents will continually lift when facing them. As reflected in the Round 4 NRL Power Rankings, the Panthers are still a strong team and they will want to bounce back to winning form here.
The Raiders face a tough task against the Panthers, made even more difficult by the suspension to Wighton, who is unable to again partner Fogarty in the halves. On top of that, they have a 5-game turnaround from a disappointing performance. Perhaps the quick preparation will allow little reflection on Round 4. The Panthers have a longer preparation for this fixture and will be ready to fire. The last thing they need is another disjointed performance. They are a strong outfit, reflected in the odds offered ($4 vs $1.25); this is a further indication of how this match is likely to play out. The trip down south is a tough one for the Panthers with just a 41% winning record compared to the Raiders 59% home record; the Panthers were victorious in their last visit in Round 21 last season. The Raiders have won just one game in the past 5 meetings at that trend looks set to continue.
The line has been set at 12.5 points, daring punters to take it on. Interestingly, the Panthers have not score more than 16 points this season, while also conceding no more than 17 (last week). They have scored fewer points and allowed more points than the Knights. Just what would the Panthers do to a team like them? It is high risk but take the visitors to score more than their average amount of points, while limiting the effectiveness of their opponent’s attack.
Prop Bet
SGM – Panthers -12.5/Crichton & Edwards to score at $7.50 – 1 unit (TAB)
Panthers 13+
$1.90 (2 Units)
