After a weekend of reduced fixtures, NRL fans have two games to feast upon on Friday night, with the second heading out west to Penrith as the Panthers host the Roosters. The Panthers show continues roll along and they will be boosted this week of a ‘return to form’ in representative football from some of their stars.
The Roosters are struggling, currently sitting outside the Top 8 and desperate to halt a 3-game losing streak. You can never count them out of a contest but a team with the quality the Panthers possess rarely drop their standards.
What a way for Friday night NRL action to return! Hopefully, this NRL betting preview will add to your enjoyment and help find a winner to launch into a great weekend of action.
Panthers vs Roosters Betting Tips
BlueBet Stadium, Friday 1st July, 7:55pm (EST)
Squads
Penrith Panthers
1. Dylan Edwards 2. Taylan May 3. Izack Tago 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Brian To’o 6. Jarome Luai 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. James Fisher-Harris 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo Interchange: 14. Mitch Kennny 15. Scott Sorensen 16. Spencer Leniu 17. Jaeman Salmon 18. Robert Jennings
Sydney Roosters
1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Billy Smith 4. Joseph Manu 5. Joseph Suaalii 6. Drew Hutchinson 7. Sam Walker 8. Lindsay Collins 9. Sam Verrills 10. Siosiua Taukeiaho 11. Angus Crichton 12. Sitili Tupouniua 13. Victor Radley Interchange: 14. Connor Watson 15. Egan Butcher 16. Nat Butcher 17. Fletcher Baker 18. Paul Momirovski
Match Preview
The Panthers are primed for this match with majority of their stars returning from successful performances over the representative weekend. Prior to that, they were comfortable 40-6 winners over the Warriors. Yet again, it was their defence which was most impressive; on the back of that, their attack was able to take full advantage.
The Roosters are a club who is struggling with injuries and form but have a host of players capable of enacting positive change. They are on a 3-game losing streak, with their Round 15 26-16 loss to the Eels causing further issues at the club. You must go back a few years to find the last time they suffered a 4-game losing streak.
The Panthers head into this game as strong favourites ($1.13 v $6) and rightly so given the strength of each side. All their Origin players are expected to feature, the same for their opponents. The Roosters cannot be completely discredited though; while inferior in quality on the field, they have the tenacity and tactical awareness to compete with their opponents. Whether or not they are able to maintain this for 80 minutes is another question altogether.
This game is both tricky (given the Roosters quality in some areas and the Panthers fatigue levels at this time of year) and difficult to find value in. The line (15.5) is drifting the closer that this game gets to kick off. If there is any Roosters player unable to back up from Origin, it would further widen the gap.
The same may also occur for the Panthers but their depth is far greater than their opponents. I am going to stick with the old thought about good clubs/organisations and that they rarely get embarrassed. Then again, this Panthers team isn’t one to care about reputations or history and they have defeated the Roosters by 20 points (32-12) back in Round 11.
Prop Bets:
Suaalii & Tago Anytime Tries ($5.50 at Ladbrokes)
Roosters +15.5
$1.95 (1 Unit)
