Round 16 NRL action kicks off on Friday this week, with a reduced round of fixtures (just 5 matches) due to Game 2 of the State of Origin series on Wednesday.
Even with key players absent, there is a hope that each game will not be robbed of quality. We head to Townsville for this fixture, with the Cowboys fresh off the Bye in Round 15 and a momentum building victory over the Storm a week earlier. The Panthers, minus several superstars, make the journey north and have a squad of players that will be desperate to push their case as capable players.
Check out our NRL tips for the Cowboys and Panthers below!
NRL Round 16 Preview & Betting Tips
North Queensland Cowboys vs Penrith Panthers
Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Friday 16th June, 8pm (AEST)
The Cowboys surprised most, including the Melbourne Storm, with their 45-20 victory over their opponents at home in Round 14. Dominant in the first half, the Cowboys built on a 14-all HT score line which didn’t accurately mirror their dominance. It reflected their lingering inability to shut down their opponents’ attacking movements. This wasn’t an issue in the second half, limiting the Storm to just 1 try, while scoring 5 of their own in impressive fashion. They dominated possession (57%), completed well (82%) and created attacking opportunities via 8 line breaks and 49 tackle breaks. They still sit in 14th place on the competition ladder and will need to replicate such efforts if they hope to climb higher.
The Panthers are coming off a dominant 30-6 victory over the Roosters, proving that Nathan Cleary’s absence can be covered against most teams. They were impressive in defence and took their opportunities in attack. Despite an inferior completion rate (71%), they carried the ball strongly (almost 500m more and 646pcm) and had 7 line breaks. Their defence was able to overcome the fact that they missed 43 tackles with some scrambling efforts which shut down their opponents attacking options quickly. Such an effort justified their standing at the top of the competition ladder.
This game has been heavily impacted by Origin. Each team will be missing 5 players to Wednesday’s fixture, with key losses in a variety of positions. The Cowboys are boosted by the return of Taumalolo at lock, adding some much-needed stability and power in the middle of the field. Interestingly, the Panthers are still listed as favourites for this game ($2.25 vs $1.62). With each team struggling to cover the loss of key players, the depth of the Panthers has proven capable in the past; however, the odds for this game should be far closer than what they are currently. A strength of the Panthers this season has been their defence and while the structure will still be the same, the quality of player makes it vulnerable. The Cowboys still have 3 out of 4 spine players on the field, with Taumalolo’s return also providing an edge over their opponents.
This game will be won and lost in the middle, so it is important that each team establishes their dominance here. With the greater value appearing to be in the home team, that will be the suggested investment. This is only supported further by each team’s record at this ground (Cowboys 52% vs Panthers 33% - 1 from 3). For margin punters, it is important to note that 5 of the past 6 games have been decided by 13+ margins, with the Panthers winning 4 of those fixtures.
Cowboys to Win
$2.23 (1 Unit)
NRL Same Game Multi at Picklebet
Popular bookmaker Picklebet have launched their Same Game Multis for both the AFL and NRL. There are plenty of markets to choose from an excellent odds on offer, so make sure to check them out! For this match we’ve gone with a simple two-leg NRL SGM.
Total Points Over 37.5 - Both teams have an ability to score points in bunches. With a reshape of the Panthers defensive structure, expect the Cowboys to exploit this as much as possible. The home side has exactly proven themselves to be a defensive orientated unit either.
Cowboys to Win - Happy to back the Cowboys in to win in my SGM as well. They looked to be solid value on Friday night.
SGM Odds -$3.50 at Picklebet
