NRL Round 4 Feature Game
In a replay of the 2022 NRL Grand Final, the Penrith Panthers take on the Parramatta Eels this Thursday.
NRL lines have the Panthers at -8½ following some poor form from the Eels. However, it could be a close contest between the Sydneysiders.
Panthers Rested and Ready
The sportsbook has the Panthers at -350 to win, so they are being respected following a bye week.
Being rested is important in the NRL, especially after some tough games. They lost to the Brisbane Broncos 13-12 in the opening round before beating the South Sydney Rabbitohs 16-10.
They have also had the wood over the Eels in recent history, including last year’s grand final. That could play on their minds, and although they have been below their best so far, it’s only a matter of time before the real Panthers pounce.
NRL news reported Panthers’ star James Fisher-Harris is looking forward to the rivalry.
“We love that rivalry, and I said what I said. I know they’re going to be fired up, and that’s what we want. We love rivalries,” said Fisher-Harris.
“It’ll be a big one. I know they’ll be up for it, but we always love those games. We’re not shying away from anything, and we know they won’t be, so we’re looking forward to that one.”
Covering a -8½ sport betting line won’t be easy, but the Panthers are tough to score on, and we’re unsure if the Eels are playing well enough to produce the goods.
Desperate Eels Needing Win
The Eels are 0-3 to start the year after losses to the Melbourne Storm, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, and Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.
Those games weren’t easy, but they usually start their year on fire, so being winless is a massive concern for Eels’ backers.
All three losses came by four points, which shows the fine line between winning and losing in the NRL. However, they had their chances to beat the Sea Eagles last week, and scoring 30 points is usually enough.
Online gambling markets have them at +225 to win outright and get off the mark. It’s a fair price, and having a home advantage is ideal. However, the Panthers are different gravy, so this will be their toughest game so far.
Panthers vs Eels Head-to-Head
The Panthers have a 26-23 lifetime advantage over the Eels, including the last two in comfortable fashion.
They won 28-12 in the NRL Grand Final last year, which followed another easy 27-8 win earlier in the playoffs.
Panthers vs Eels Game Information
- Game: Panthers (1-1) vs Eels (0-3)
- Day/Time: Thursday, March 23, 5:00 a.m. ET
- Location: CommBank Stadium, Sydney, NSW
- Panthers vs Eels Live Stream: RugbyPass
Panthers vs Eels Betting Lines
Panthers vs Eels Picks and Prediction
Given the recent history and the Eels’ poor recent form, our NRL picks have the Panthers winning and covering the spread.
They are the testing material in the NRL, and a double-digit victory could be in order.
Eals is listed at +225 in our Vegas NRL lines. This means that if you wager $100 on the Eels, there’s a chance to win $225. Panthers is -350, offering a chance to win $29 on a $100 wager.
The implied probability attached to the betting lines gives Eals a 30.77% chance to win, with the Panthers at 77.78%.
