Round 1 was one of the best opening weeks in recent memory and Round 2 promises plenty more for fans. To add to your viewing enjoyment, Before You Bet delivered plenty of winners.
Round 2 kicks off with a block buster match between the Panthers and the Rabbitohs. Both sides are expected to feature long after the regular season and each will want to assert their dominance early over a fellow contender. This promises to be a great match.
Scooby brings you his preview and best bets for Thursday night’s NRL blockbuster!
And if you're keen to punt on the NRL this season, why not use the Betfair exchange? At Betfair you can back or lay bets and you'll constantly get some of the best odds in the industry!
Penrith Panthers vs South Sydney Rabbitohs Preview & Betting Tips
Thursday 9th March, BlueBet Stadium, 8pm (AEDT)
The Panthers were upset by the Broncos last week, their second consecutive loss including the World Club Challenge, following their 2022 Grand Final victory. It was an unexpected result, made even more puzzling considering the Panthers dominance on the stats sheet. They lead every area; they were let down by their final touches in the red zone which, had their execution been better, would’ve yielded more points in attack. It’s not time to panic though, as discussed in the Round 1 NRL Power Rankings, there are still plenty of positives and they will be better for the loss.
The Rabbitohs are coming off a 9-point victory over the Sharks which came at a cost, with two key forwards injured. Always the favourite, the Rabbitohs benefitted from the omission of Hynes and demonstrated a new option to their attack via their right edge. Much like the Panthers, they dominated almost every statistic in throughout the contest. The performance of Ilias at half was also positive for this team moving forward. Though, just like the past 3 years, the Panthers have always tested the Rabbitohs, and this game will be no different.
The Panthers are favourites for this match ($1.50 vs $2.60), with several factors impacting this stance. Firstly, it would be very surprising to see the Panthers lose 3 consecutive matches to start the season. The WCC was their first match for the year and given the Broncos fixture was their second, perhaps it was always going to take longer for them to find their match fitness. Furthermore, the Rabbitohs are going to struggle against the Panthers pack without Arrow and Tatola. They will look to play a fast game through the middle, but this may be impacted with the injury cloud over Mitchell. Even if he was at peak fitness, the Panthers have shown the correct way to minimise his impact in a match. There is also a lingering question mark about the defence of their outside backs (excluding Graham); there appeared several errors in this area against the Sharks and they went unpunished. The Panthers will not be as excepting.
Take the Panthers to cover the line. There is plenty to like about them and with their fitness always improving and playing at home, they will be difficult for the visitors to stop. It should be a close, hard-fought match.
Same Game Multi
Panthers (H2H)/Panthers 1-12/Tago to Score - $6 at Ladbrokes (0.5 Units)
Panthers -5.5
$1.90 (2 Units)
