We take a look at Sunday afternoons (17/03/2019) NRL match which is between Penrith Panthers and Parramatta Eels. Penrith Panthers go into the match as the short priced favourites and look hard to beat but are probably under the odds.
When: Sunday March 17, 4:05pm
Where: Panthers Stadium
Bet: Bet On This Match HERE
Preview:
If the Panthers can start the season anything like they did last year, they might just surprise some folk. Penrith won four of their opening five games last year, while Sunday’s meeting against Parramatta is a rematch of last seasons Round 1 fixture that saw the Panthers walk away 24-14 victors.
It’s been a long offseason for Penrith for all the wrong reasons. The video-sharing scandal is at the forefront of everyone’s minds, but there’s also the loss of Tyrone Peachey, among many others, to account for on the field.
The rebuilding Eels have enjoyed a much more positive summer, headlined by the signing of Blake Ferguson from the Roosters. There’s no denying the pressure on head coach Brad Arthur, though. He now enters his fourth year at the helm, having won only 58 of the 128 games he’s coached.
Fast forward to Sunday, and it’s suddenly a tough call between a side that’s caught up in the headlines a team desperate to forget last seasons wooden spoon finish. The Eels were winless in two games against the Panthers last year and were an even worse 0-9 as the away underdog.
Still, there’s reason to believe the Eels can get the job done against a distracted Penrith side. They’ll need a strong performance from their forward pack, but Mitchell Moses is certainly the man for the job.
Lost amongst their 18 losses last season was the fact the Eels defeated the Dragons in the final month of the season. All this team needs is some belief.
Odds:
Tip: Penrith Panthers at $1.48
Value Tip: First Try Scorer: Waqa Blake at $11.00
*Odds correct at time of posting. Subject to change