TAB Punters believe the loss of Ryan Papenhuyzen is a bigger blow to Melbourne than Nathan Cleary’s absence is to Penrith ahead of tonight’s Grand Final rematch.
The TAB Head To Head market swung immediately in favour of the Storm when confirmation of Cleary’s withdrawal came through yesterday but the follow up news of fullback Papenhuyzen’s scratching from the Storm saw it flip again with money now coming for the Panthers.
With Matt Burton set to deputise for Cleary in the halves, Penrith are again favourites at $1.67 compared to Melbourne’s $2.20.
In other market news from TAB:
- The Roosters ($1.62), who are now joint premiership favourites with Penrith, are being well backed to beat South Sydney ($2.30) in their grudge match. The tricolours had a $5,000 Head To Head bet taken at $1.65.
- The Dragons ($1.67) have shortened from an opening $1.90 to beat the winless and drifting Manly ($2.20) on Friday night.
- The Broncos are $1.65 favourites to snap their 13 match losing streak against the Bulldogs ($2.25) but are still $3.00 to finish the season with the most losses. A 14th straight defeat will put them equal second on the list of worst losing runs of the NRL era.
Tonight
Head To Head
$1.67 Penrith (opened at $1.90, were $1.80 and then $2.20)
$ 2.20 Melbourne (were $1.90 and then $1.67)
Line
$1.85 Penrith -1.5
$1.95 Melbourne +1.5
FRIDAY NIGHT
$1.67 St George Illawarra (were $1.90)
$2.20 Manly (were $1.90)
$2.30 South Sydney (were $2.25)
$1.62 Roosters (were $1.65)
$1.26 Canberra (were $1.24)
$2.25 Warriors (were $3.90)
$1.65 Brisbane
$2.25 Bulldogs
$1.34 Parramatta (were $1.36)
$3.30 Cronulla (were $3.20)
$1.34 Newcastle (were $1.32)
$3.30 Wests Tigers (were $3.40)
$2.60 North Queensland (were $2.80)
$1.50 Gold Coast (were $1.48)
NRL Premiership
$5.50 Penrith
Roosters (were $6.00)
$6.00 South Sydney
$6.50 Melbourne
$8.00 Canberra
$11 Parramatta
$17 Newcastle
$19 Gold Coast
$29 Warriors
$34 Cronulla
$41 Manly
$67 Wests Tigers
North Queensland
Canterbury
St George Illawarra
$81 Brisbane