Friday’s NRL 2018 Round 18 match is between Penrith Panthers and Cronulla Sharks. The opening kick is set to commence at 18:00 local time with the game to be played at Panthers Stadium, Sydney. The home team Penrith Panthers are the favourites for the match.
View our preview and teams for the game between Penrith Panthers and Cronulla Sharks.
When: 18:00 | Friday 13/07/2018
Where: Panthers Stadium, Sydney
Preview:
I mentioned last week that the Panthers were going through unknown territory and that Origin commitments and injury were going to affect their performance and could find themselves in trouble.
But that was before they put in a blue-chip performance against a Warriors side that was well below par.
Scoring 36 points against the Warriors with an understrength side reinstates the Panthers as Premiership contenders.
Providing all players are willing and able to back up from another Origin battle, the confidence and momentum from last week’s win will be a big bonus.
For the Sharks, they’ve had a seemless transition through Origin and Aaron Woods has fitted in really well and if anything, has provided them with more starch.
His debut performance against the Warriors was superb.
I think the Sharks are a real threat moving into the later stages of the comp.
KEY BATTLE: Panthers forwards v Sharks forwardsThe matchup between these two teams will be won or lost in the forwards.
Both teams have a wealth of experience with Test and Origin stars and the big men in the middle will decide who will win this one.
Off the back of their performance last week and the momentum I spoke about, I like the Panthers back at home in a tight affair.Penrith has a 7-4 (63.6 percent) line record in games playing during July since 2016.
Unibet Odds:
Penrith at $2.04
Cronulla at $1.80
Odds:
Tip: Penrith Panthers at $2.35
Value Tip: First Try Scorer: Valentine Holmes at $12.00
More Info:
Teams:
Penrith Panthers:
1 Caleb Aekins, 2 Christian Crichton, 3 Waqa Blake, 4 Dean Whare, 5 Tyrone Phillips, 6 Tyrone May, 7 Jarome Luai, 8 Trent Merrin, 9 Sione Katoa, 10 James Tamou, 11 Viliame Kikau, 12 Isaah Yeo (c), 13 James Fisher-Harris
Interchange: 14 Wayde Egan, 15 Corey Harawira-Naera, 16 Jack Hetherington, 17 Moses Leota
Reserves: 18 Liam Martin, 19 Kaide Ellis, 20 Tyrone Peachey, 21 James Maloney, 22 Nathan Cleary.
Cronulla Sharks: 
1 Valentine Holmes, 2 Sione Katoa, 3 Jesse Ramien, 4 Ricky Leutele, 5 Edrick Lee, 6 Matt Moylan, 7 Chad Townsend, 8 Andrew Fifita, 9 Jayden Brailey, 10 Matt Prior, 11 Kurt Capewell, 12 Wade Graham, 13 Paul Gallen (c)
Interchange: 14 Joseph Paulo, 15 James Segeyaro, 16 Aaron Woods, 17 Jayson Bukuya
Reserves: 18 Scott Sorensen, 19 Ava Seumanufagai, 20 Sosaia Feki, 21 Kyle Flanagan.
NRL News:
The player who replaced Matt Moylan in last year’s run to the finals hopes the former Penrith captain won’t be booed on his return to Panthers Stadium on Friday.
Moylan will make his first visit to the foot of the mountains since a controversial shift to Cronulla in the summer that resulted in a player-swap for James Maloney.
Moylan had been given indefinite leave by the Panthers in August last year to deal with “personal issues”, but it was widely believed he had fallen out with the club.
He was replaced by young playmaker Tyrone May, who stepped in at five-eighth before tearing his ACL in the Panthers’ semi-final loss to Brisbane.
May only just made a successful return to the NRL in the absence of State of Origin stars Nathan Cleary and Maloney in last week’s romp over the Warriors.
And he is likely to be in the halves again as the Panthers look to rest their NSW stars.
May insisted there is no animosity from the current playing group and hoped the home crowd would feel the same when they meet the Sharks on Friday.
“Everyone’s still pretty good mates with him. There’s no real spite from us and I hope the fans will give him a welcome home,” May told AAP.
“I don’t want to see any spitefulness towards him because it wasn’t a bad thing that happened. It worked out well for both parties.”
May admitted he was initially surprised Moylan had been released by the club, given the local junior was one year into a four-year extension of his contract.
But he hailed the impact Maloney has had on their campaign this year, with the Panthers currently fourth and in prime position to challenge for the title.
“It shocked a few boys but as a group, we’ve moved on from it now,” May said.
“Jimmy’s added nothing but character and experience, he’s steered the ship a lot. He’s brought that old head, and is a big-game player.”
However the Panthers’ chances of building a four-point gap on the sixth-placed Sharks have taken a hit following a hamstring injury to fullback Dallin Watene-Zelezniak.
