Friday’s NRL 2018 Round 17 match is between Penrith Panthers and New Zealand Warriors. The opening kick is set to commence at 19:55 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 New Zealand Warriors.
When: 19:55 | Friday 06/07/2018
Where: Panthers Stadium, Sydney
Preview:
Tough one to pick this one.
Both sides haven’t been in great touch and if I had to lean one way, it would be towards New Zealand.
The Warriors lost narrowly last week and have no Origin players involved up against a side that is still coming to grips with the pressure of Origin and the strain it places on the club.
They’ll be there in the final rounds no doubt about that, however now I see them falling short.
They have the main halves involved in Origin which in any team is difficult when you take this away.
They were off the pace for mine in the enthusiasm stakes against Manly and if they can improve their ball control, they will be well in this game.
I like the power game of the Warriors’ outside backs and with Issac Luke always threatening at the ruck, it makes them a real challenge.
KEY BATTLE: Isaah Yeo v Isaiah Papali’i
The matchup between the edge runners will be a real mouth-watering one.
They are some of the best in their given positions and I think they hold the key to the success of both sides.
The Verdict
Look for the Warriors to attack the edges of the Panthers with these two players.
If the Warriors control well and play the brand we all love, I get the feeling they can win this one easy.
If not, they will make it hard on themselves.
Penrith is 19-39 (32.8 percent) as a home team since 2014, in the “Win 1-12 (Half Time Margin)” market.
Unibet Odds:
Penrith at $2.35
New Zealand at $1.60
Odds:
Tip: Penrith Panthers at $2.42
Value Tip: First Try Scorer: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck at $12.00
More Info:
Teams:
Penrith Panthers:
1 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 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 Caleb Aekins, 19 Kaide Ellis, 20 Liam Martin, 21 Corey Waddell.
New Zealand Warriors: 
1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 2 David Fusitu’a, 3 Peta Hiku, 4 Solomone Kata, 5 Ken Maumalo, 6 Blake Green, 7 Shaun Johnson, 8 James Gavet, 9 Issac Luke, 10 Agnatius Paasi, 11 Isaiah Papali’i, 12 Simon Mannering, 13 Adam Blair
Interchange: 14 Jazz Tevaga, 15 Tevita Satae, 16 Ligi Sao, 17 Gerard Beale
Reserves: 18 Joseph Vuna, 20 Karl Lawton, 21 Sam Lisone, 22 Mason Lino.
NRL News:
A hesitant Dallin Watene-Zelezniak says he’ll take on Penrith’s NRL goal-kicking void if called upon against the Warriors.
But he’s joked that his Panthers teammates might need to score most of their tries under the posts.
Watene-Zelezniak is shaping as the front-runner to take shots at goal for the Panthers this weekend, with the club’s two world-class kickers in James Maloney and Nathan Cleary in NSW State of Origin camp.
Rookie half Jarome Juai would be the other option with the boot, but even he doesn’t kick goals in the club’s ladder-leading NSW Cup team.
Back-rower Corey Harawira-Naera also fancies himself as a kicker, but it’s understood he’s unlikely to be considered given he’s on return from a groin injury.
Which means the duties are likely to fall to Watene-Zelezniak, who kicked in his younger days but is yet to attempt a shot on goal in his 87 first grade games.
“I haven’t kicked since NSW Cup and under-20s days,” the fullback said.
“We have someone like Nathan there, so we haven’t had to worry about the goal-kicking. Both of them are sharp shooters so I’m just happy that focus isn’t on me and I can just concentrate on playing.
“(If asked) I’ll do my job. I don’t know, I’m average I guess.
“It would be good for the boys if they score some tries to make them under the post.”
Meanwhile Cleary and Maloney’s absences have forced Penrith coach Anthony Griffin into calling up youngsters Tyrone May and Luai into the halves.
Both are Penrith under-20s products from recent seasons, taking the count of the club’s former NYC players in the team to 12.
Watene-Zelezniak is one of them, and he believed it’s part of the reason why the Panthers manage to find success no matter how many players have to be called in through their high injury tolls in recent years.
“You play with guys like that and you get to know their games a little more,” he said.
“You know when to push with them or what foot they’re going to come off or what hand they offload and those kinds of things and their strengths and weaknesses.
“Coming through with them I think it’s a real positive to have in the back of your mind how they’ll play.”