A win last week over the Gold Coast Titans away from home, their fourth victory in a row, has earned the Panthers top spot on the ladder due to a better for-and-against half-way through the regular season.
In an arm wrestle during the first half, the Panthers led at half-time 14 – 8 but under the direction of half-back Peter Wallace, the Panthers gained the upper hand in the second stanza and courtesy of three tries in the final 15 minutes, recorded their fourth successive 13+ win.
Special Offer: $250 Penrith Panthers vs St George Illawarra Dragons FREE BET
Winger Josh Mansour continued his good form by bagging a double and has now scored in each of the last four games.
Returning to their home ground for this clash, where they’ve won five from six this year, and largely unaffected by the Origin series, the Panthers are well placed to continue their good form.
The Panthers are mostly unchanged from the past few weeks with only Adam Docker and David Simmons missing from last week’s line-up.
DRAGONS
The Dragons recorded a much needed 30 – nil win over the Sharks last week, their first victory in the past five weeks and only their second since round 3.
With two previous runs under his belt since returning from Rugby Union, Benji Marshall showed good signs at five-eight and combined well with Josh Duggan who was moved into the centres from fullback and the moved paid handsomely with Duggan scoring a treble.
It was just the kind of performance NSW Coach wanted to see and earned Duggan a call up for the second State Of Origin next Wednesday, meaning he’ll be missing for this game with his place taken by debutante Charly Runciman.
The win will relieve some of the pressure that the Dragons have been under this season but it also must be kept in mind that the Sharks were without no fewer than six regulars from their starting line-up.
The Dragons will have to improve again off of last week’s effort against a Penrith side full of confidence.
HEAD TO HEAD
After several season on the losing side of these clashes, the Panthers have turned the situation around in more recent times, having won four of the last five matches between the two sides, the last three in succession.
In both games last year, the Panthers won comfortably, by 19 and 15 points, keeping the Dragons to a combined total of 10 points.
In fact, only once in the past five matches have the Dragons registered more than 12 points against the Panthers.
With the Panthers likely to dominate the middle with a bigger pack and a strong bench, the Panthers again should produce too many points.
Tip : PENRITH 13+
Odds Comparison:
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
| Penrith Panthers | 1.20 | 1.20 | 1.18 | 1.20 | 1.20 | 1.20 |
| St George Illawarra Dragons | 4.75 | 4.70 | 5.00 | 4.70 | 4.75 | 4.60 |
All odds are subject to change. Odds listed are correct at the time of the latest update.
Teams:
Panthers: Matt Moylan, Josh Mansour, Dean Whare, Isaah Yeo, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Jamie Soward, Peter Wallace, Sam McKendry, James Segeyaro, Brent Kite, Tyrone Peachey, Elijah Taylor
Interchange: Lewis Brown, Jeremy Latimore, Nigel Plum, Bryce Cartwright
Dragons: Adam Quinlan, Peter Mata’utia, Charly Runciman, Gerard Beale, Jason Nightingale, Gareth Widdop, Benji Marshall, Ben Creagh, Mitch Rein, Mike Cooper, Leeson Ah Mau, Joel Thompson, Tyson Frizell.
Interchange: Jack de Belin, Will Matthews, Shane Pumipi, Bronson Harrison, Craig Garvey (one to be omitted).
