It just had to be the grand final rematch of 2020 as the BetDeluxe NRL Game of the Round this week between the Penrith Panthers and the Melbourne Storm.
Head to head, first try scorer and total points scored previews are all here!
head to head
march 25th 8:05pm
The Penrith Panthers are out for revenge against the Melbourne Storm in what is the first encounter between the two since that famous grand final last year.
It was a 26-20 premiership winning triumph for the Storm after a first half blitz of the Panthers proved the match winning factor.
Injuries plague both the Panthers and Storm in this game with the big news that Nathan Clearly will be sidelined after suffering a hard knock to the head in the win over the Bulldogs, while Ryan Papenhuyzen will miss for the Storm with a neck complaint.
Incredibly, the Panthers are yet to concede a point this season having registered a 24-0 win over the North Queensland Cowboys in Round 1 and then a 28-0 victory over the Bulldogs in Round 2.
However, the Storm present a different challenge for the Panthers, as it found out in the grand final last year.
Despite losing to the Paramatta Eels 16-12 last week after a season opening 26-18 victory for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Craig Bellamy’s men will be on their toes for this game.
Bellamy has not been part of back to back losses in the NRL since 2018 and with the Panthers missing clearly, the Storm can bounce back into the winner list here.
Suggested Bet: Melbourne Storm head to head at $1.95
first try scorer
Jennings & Kikau
Josh Addo-Carr comes up the favourite to be the first try scorer in this match but he does look under the odds at first glance.
Cameron Munster scored the first try for the Melbourne Storm against the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the opening and looks to be value at around the $20 quote.
Viliame Kikau and Kurt Capewell have been the first tryscorers for the Panthers through the first two rounds.
Both players come up good value in this with Kikau at $15 and Capewell $26.
The Storm did play in wet conditions last week were not as dominant early in the game as has become accustom in recent fixtures, but with the Sydney weather clearing it should only help the Storm’s chances of getting off to a flyer.
Suggested Bets:
George Jennings first tryscorer at $11
Viliame Kikau first tryscorer at $15
total points scored
unders
The total points scored market is set at over/under 38.5 for this game.
Eight of the last ten games played by the Penrith Panthers have been under the total points scored for the game.
The 2020 grand final between the clubs went over the current 38.5 quota by a fair margin.
Without the talent of Panthers co-captain Nathan Clearly being unable to thrust the ball forward and the Storm set to be without Ryan Papenhuyzen, this game may be a hard fought low-scoring slog.
Suggested Bet: Total points scored under 38.5 at $1.90
