The second NRL game on Saturday heads to Brookvale Oval with the Sea Eagles hosting the Panthers. This timeslot was not kind to the Sea Eagles last week, turning out their worst performance of the year. They will want to bounce back to form but have a resolute Panthers outfit in their way. Missing some stars, others have stepped up to fill the void and prove that perhaps, they too can lead this team.
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2024 NRL Round 5 Preview & Betting Tips
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles vs Penrith Panthers
4 Pines Park – Saturday 6th April – 5:30pm (AEDT)
Match Preview
It was a horrible performance last week from the Sea Eagles in their 20-12 loss to the Dragons. In a contrast to their opening matches this season, they were ill-disciplined with the ball (69% completion rate & 15 errors) and lacked defensive structure (missed 36 tackles) which they had established in their opening three matches. Entitled to a drop in performance, it will be worrying if this trend continues. The fact that they were defeated by an inferior team will also cause concern.
The Panthers were the opposite of this in their 22-16 win over the Roosters. Missing key players (Cleary & JFH), others stepped in to fill their void and contribute to an impressive display of rugby league. Their depth is impressive; they pressured their opponents in key areas on the field and made the most of their opportunities when they were provided to them. Two factors stood out in their dominance; they limited their opponents to just 7.2m per carry and they made 617pcm. Both show how powerful their forwards are, but it also highlights their determination to control the middle of the field. The extra momentum this generated allowed for a faster ruck speed and had the Roosters defending from their heels. Another challenge awaits and teams will be better prepared to combat their weaknesses, of which they have minimal, but such performances will only increase their confidence heading into big matches like this one.
Match Prediction
Despite their poor performance last week, the Sea Eagles are given a fighting chance by the bookies. They are outsiders ($2.20 vs $1.67), with the hope that they can halt a 2-game losing streak in a milestone match for captain DCE. There is a lot for them to overcome though prior to achieving that.
The Panthers have won 9 out of the past 10 matches against the Sea Eagles, with the average margin of victory in their past 5 games being 23.6 points. The total match points in that same period is 44.4 points. To make the task even more difficult, the Sea Eagles haven’t defeated the Panthers at home since Round 26, 2017.
With Fisher-Harris returning for the Panthers, they will look to dominate the middle and use this as a platform for success. The Sea Eagles will be competitive and are not without a chance. They will be improved on last week (it would be concerning if they were not) but whether it will be enough to compete with the Panthers for 80 minutes remains unknown. If the Panthers are to win, they should easily account for the line (2.5). They have proven in all their matches this season what they are capable of; when it didn’t go to plan in Round 1, they altered small parts of their game and became stronger.
The difference in this game will come down to defence; the Sea Eagles average 21ppg compared to the Panthers 13ppg. If the home side is to win, this is an area they will need to target. The Panthers are resolute in this area and will always seek to exploit a weakness.
Panthers -2.5
$1.95 (1 Unit)
Same Game Multi
It is expected to be very wet on Saturday afternoon so expect the scoring in this game to be lower than usual. As for Turuva and Tago, they are the leading try scorers for their team, with Turuva equal top of the competition. They have proven a threat anywhere on the field and will be a challenge for the outside backs of the Sea Eagles to hold out.
Total Points Under 43.5
Turuva to Score
Tago to Score
SGM Odds: $12 at Neds
