The Panthers hold a four-game winning streak in the head-to-head series, but there have been some close contests. One of the matchups was just 19-18 in 2019, and NZ again stayed close in a 2020 tilt falling 18-12. Even the lone meeting in 2021 wasn’t a complete blowout, with Penrith holding a 30-16 advantage.
Last Game Records
Penrith continued their march through the NRL slate with a 42-6 romp at Newcastle last weekend. That marks five straight wins after a 22-20 home loss to Parramatta, which was the Panthers’ lone loss this season.
The Warriors woes continued with a sixth straight loss last Sunday falling 38-16 at home to the Sharks. Cronulla-Sutherland is a solid team ranking fifth on the NRL ladder, but Penrith has easily been the cream of the crop in the league this season.
New Zealand’s losing streak includes defeats to the Sea Eagles and Knights, who are in the league’s bottom half. The Warriors have a -151 point differential this season, while Penrith sits at +264, which means this weekend’s rugby betting picks could be a bit lopsided.
Warriors vs. Panthers Betting Analysis
Penrith is a whopping -26.5 favorite in the rugby betting odds for this weekend, a huge -5000 on the moneyline meaning a win is nearly inevitable. New Zealand is 2-5 in their last seven head to head games vs. the Panthers, but each one fell within the 26.5-point margin.
The total for this Saturday’s rugby betting picks is 44.5, a number some pundits might think that Penrith could hit themselves if everything is clicking.
The Slide Continues for New Zealand
It’s not the greatest matchup to try and break a six-game losing streak with the top team in the NRL coming to battle, but that’s the spot the Warriors are in here. Stacey Jones’ first game as the interim coach did not go well last week in a 22-point loss to the Sharks, but perhaps he has made some adjustments going into game two at the helm.
If it weren’t hard enough to get the shocking upset over Penrith in this weekend’s rugby betting picks, the Warriors would also have to do it without Ben Murdoch-Masila and Euan Aitken. They were injured in the loss to Cronulla. Reece Walsh is a top 10 scorer in the NRL with 76 points, so he will have to step up in a massive way in this one.
Penrith to Cruise Here
If Penrith were to drop this game, it would be the biggest upset in the NRL this season. The rugby betting odds are incredibly high, with the Panthers being -26.5 favorites, but at the same time, it looks like Penrith could easily soar past that number.
Penrith has overtaken Melbourne as the top-scoring team in league with 416 points. That puts the Warriors in a bit of a mismatch, considering they have allowed at least 24 points in each of their six straight losses.
Nathan Cleary continues to shine for Penrith, ranking fifth in the NRL in scoring 102 points despite missing a couple of games at the beginning of the season. The Panthers also get Isaiah Yeo back after missing last week’s game following an injury during Origin week.
Warriors vs. Panthers Betting Preview
To their credit, the Warriors have played Penrith well even during their four-game head-to-head losing streak, but does that continue with the kind of march that the Panthers are on right now?
Warriors vs. Panthers Betting Prediction
Could this be another 42-6 style beating like Penrith delivered last week to the 12th place Knights? Taking odds on whether Penrith gets a blowout or if New Zealand keeps this close, the edge has to go to the Panthers, who are on an incredible march right now.
How to bet on New Zealand Warriors vs. Penrith Panthers
Take Penrith -26.5
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