Monday night NRL is back and the game for Round 7 is between Penrith Panthers and Parramatta Eels. The opening kick is set to commence at 7pm local time with the game to be played at Centrebet Stadoum. The away team Parramatta are the current favourites for the match. View our preview and teams for the game between Penrith Panthers and Parramatta Eels.

Centrebet Stadium

Monday @ 19:00

Featured Bookmakers:

Penrith Panthers $1.91 vs Parramatta Eels $1.91 at Sportsbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match

Penrith Panthers $1.97 vs Parramatta Eels $1.83 at Luxbet Australia get a $500 FREE BET on this match

Odds Comparison:

Penrith Panthers	1.91	1.91	1.97	1.91	1.91	1.91
Parramatta Eels	1.91	1.91	1.83	1.91	1.91	1.91

Preview:

The phrase, “saving the best to last” doesn’t really apply to the final match of round 7 where we see the twelfth placed Eels, taking on the fourteenth placed Panthers.

Halfway the second half in their last round match against the Titans, the Eels appeared to be on target to register their third win of the season but were run down by three tries in the last 20 minutes, losing 28-22.

They were positive signs early with playmakers Hayne and Sandow creating opportunities for the Eels attack however; they have to learn how to win a game. Some silly second half mistakes, eventual proved costly.

The Panthers only win this season came in the opening round again the Raiders (32-10).

Last week, they were locked in a dour affair with the Newcastle Knights that resulted in them on the wrong side of an 8-6 scoreline.

The Panthers have had the better of the last four local derbies, winning three of them. Two of those four matches have gone to golden point and it could be a similar case again here.

Another interesting fact is that all bar one of the past eight matches have resulted in total match scores of greater than 37. Five of those games have produced score of 45 or more.

Think Parramatta is capable of generating more opportunities than the Panthers, they just have to be able to finish them.

Teams:

Penrith Panthers:
Matt Moylan, Travis Robinson, Lewis Brown, Dean Whare, David Simmons, Tom Humble, Luke Walsh, Sam McKendry, Kevin Kingston (c), Tim Grant, Sika Manu, Matthew Robinson, Nigel Plum.
Interchange: Adam Docker, Nathan Smith, James Segeyaro, Clint Newton.

Parramatta Eels:
Jarryd Hayne (c), Ken Sio, Ryan Morgan, Jacob Loko, Vai Toutai, Luke Kelly, Chris Sandow, Mitch Allgood, Matt Keating, Tim Mannah, Reni Maitua (c), Kelepi Tanginoa, Ben Smith.
Interchange: Ben Roberts, Darcy Lussick, Joseph Paulo, Matthew Ryan.

Eels rally from NRL support

Parramatta coach Ricky Stuart has praised the NRL community for the way it has rallied around Tim Mannah, but says the Eels can only look to themselves to remedy their on-field woes.

Mannah will take to the field on Monday night against Penrith still dealing with the fallout from a News Limited report on Friday that detailed elements of a leaked report which raised the possibility of a link between the death of Tim’s brother Jon and the use of banned substances at Cronulla.

Stuart on Sunday added his voice to the criticism of the report, but said the support from so many of his rivals had provided something of a boost.

“A lot of rugby league people were disgusted in the context of that story,” Stuart said.

“What’s going through my mind now is the support that Tim Mannah and his family are getting from all the current NRL players.

“Some of the support behind the scenes from all the very high profile players makes me feel very good about being involved in rugby league.”

While the Eels have taken strength from the support of their peers, Stuart said no-one from outside the club could help them rise up the NRL ladder.

The Eels have won just two of their opening six games, one more than Monday night’s rivals Penrith.

It has raised suggestions the battle of the west could in fact be a battle for the wooden spoon.

The Panthers have been ravaged by injury, particularly in the backs, but Stuart said the Eels could not afford to spend too much energy focusing on what their rivals will bring to the table at Centrebet Stadium.

“I’m really in a position with this team where we’ve got to probably have all focus and concentration on our own game,” Stuart said.

“We’re showing some slight improvements each week.

“We had one hiccup three or four weeks ago (when beaten 50-0 by Sydney Roosters in round four), but I think we’ve shown some slight improvement.

“We need to sustain a bit more quality for longer periods of time.”

The match will be the first the Eels have played since Stuart launched his tirade on the standard of NRL refereeing after his side was heavily penalised as they succumbed to a second-half comeback from Gold Coast in round six.