NRL ,ROUND 11, MAY 12th, 2023, SYDNEY ROOSTERS v PENRITH PANTHERS
BLUEBET STADIUM,PENRITH
Two of the NRL’s powerhouses come together in a Friday night blockbuster that will reveal plenty about their premiership credentials.
Defending champs Penrith boast the best defence in the competition after 10 rounds but their attack has been below its fluent best in recent weeks, while the Roosters took 79 minutes to post their lone try in Sunday’s loss to the Cowboys.
Both sides enter Round 11 with 5-4 records to sit in the logjam of seven teams on 12 competition points but the table topping Broncos and rampant Rabbitohs have looked a cut above the rest in the past month.
This week’s clash provides the perfect opportunity for the Panthers to make a statement against a fellow contender and send a warning to the Broncos ahead of their Round 12 showdown at Suncorp Stadium.
For the Roosters it’s a chance to take another big scalp after knocking off the Rabbitohs in Round 3 and the Eels in Round 5, but much will depend on Joseph Manu, Joseph Suaalii and James Tedesco finding their mojo in attack.
Only Wests Tigers have scored less points than the Roosters through 10 rounds and they’ll be acutely aware that a repeat of what they served up in Magic Round will make it a very long night at BlueBet Stadium.
Panthers: Ivan Cleary has named the same 17 that downed the Warriors. Back-rower Liam Martin is listed among the reserves as he looks to get on the paddock after three games out with a hamstring injury.
Roosters: Egan Butcher (concussion) will miss the game under the NRL’s mandatory 11-day stand-down policy so Angus Crichton moves into the starting side and Fletcher Baker joins the bench. Halfback Sam Walker is listed among the reserves as he looks to fight his way back into the side after two games in NSW Cup. Jake Turpin is 18th Man.
Panthers team: 1. Dylan Edwards 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Tyrone Peachey 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Brian To’o 6. Jarome Luai 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Mitch Kenny 10. James Fisher-Harris 11. Scott Sorensen 12. Zac Hosking 13. Isaah Yeo 14. Soni Luke 15. Lindsay Smith 16. Spencer Leniu 17. Jaeman Salmon 18. Jack Cogger 19. Luke Garner 20. Thomas Jenkins 21. Liam Martin 22. Liam Henry
Roosters team:1. James Tedesco 2. Corey Allan 3. Joseph Suaalii 4. Billy Smith 5. Jaxson Paulo 6. Joseph Manu 7. Luke Keary 8. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 9. Brandon Smith 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Angus Crichton 12. Nat Butcher 13. Victor Radley 14. Drew Hutchison 15. Fletcher Baker 16. Sitili Tupouniua 17. Matthew Lodge 18. Jake Turpin 19. Naufahu Whyte 20. Sam Walker 21. Tuipulotu Katoa 22. Terrell May
Referee: Gerard Sutton
Touch Judge: Phil Henderson
Touch Judge: Drew Oultram
Senior Review Official: Ashley Klein
STATS.
Nathan Cleary has engaged the line 96 times this season, 21 more than the second man on the list Ben Hunt with 75.
The Roosters have not beaten the Panthers since 2019 at the Sydney Cricket Ground and have not won at BlueBet Stadium since 2017.
Panthers have won their past six games against the Roosters.
Nathan Cleary has scored 99 points in 10 games against the Roosters.
Joseph Suaali’i has kicked nine from nine since assuming goal-kicking duties.
The Panthers have won 29 of their past 32 games at BlueBet Stadium.
Panthers have won the last six meetings between the teams
Roosters haven’t won at BlueBet Stadium since 2017
Roosters have the second-worst attack in the NRL this season
Panthers have the best defence in the NRL this season
Panthers have seen Under 40.5 points in their last four games
Roosters have seen Under 40.5 points in four of their last five games
Brian To’o has scored a try in four of his last five games at BlueBet Stadium
Still Tupouniua has scored a try in six of his last eight away games
PREDICTION.
Two heavyweight teams playing well below their best clash in an intriguing showdown on Friday night as the Panthers welcome the Roosters to BlueBet Stadium.
Penrith have won the last six meetings between the teams, with the Roosters winless at BlueBet Stadium since 2017.
The Panthers have the best defence in the competition, but their usually-potent attack has been off for the majority of the season.
Ivan Cleary’s side bounced back from their shock loss to the Tigers to edge the Warriors 18-6 in Magic Round, but it wasn’t convincing at all.
Meanwhile, the Roosters are also struggling in attack, with only the last-placed Tigers scoring fewer points after 10 rounds.
Dropping Sam Walker hasn’t really helped at all, with the Roosters scoring just one try (in the dying stages) in an awful 20-6 loss to the out-of-form Cowboys last week.
Luke Keary hasn’t been the same player since his concussion issues and Joseph Suaalii is clearly having a tough time dealing with all the media scrutiny around his move to Union. Neither team is reliable right now, but you can’t go past the Panthers at home – they’ve won 29 of their last 32 games at BlueBet Stadium and won their last six meetings with the Roosters. Panthers by 5 points.
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