Penrith Panthers vs Melbourne Storm Tips, Odds and Free Bonus Bets – NRL 2022

BlueBet Stadium will play host to Thursday's Round 22 NRL game between Penrith Panthers and Melbourne Storm. The game kicks off at 7:50 pm with Penrith Panthers heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Penrith Panthers vs. Melbourne Storm game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Thursday August 11, 2022 at 7:50 pm

Where: BlueBet Stadium

Bet: Bet On This Match HERE

Penrith Panthers vs Melbourne Storm Odds

Penrith Panthers vs Melbourne Storm Preview

The much-anticipated Magic Round clash between the NRL’s preeminent heavyweights was a fizzer – and injuries again have taken the wind out of the sails of what for a long time seemed a preview of an inevitable grand final showdown.

Penrith bounced back from just its second loss of the season in Round 20, which was compounded by the suspended Nathan Cleary joining Jarome Luai on the sidelines, by overpowering a desperate Canberra team 26-6.

Five-eighth Jaeman Salmon became the unwitting centre of a post-match frenzy, but he did a solid job alongside fellow halves deputy Sean O’Sullivan. Gutsy fullback Dylan Edwards was typically superb against the Raiders, but front-row powerhouse James Fisher-Harris has copped a two-match ban.

Melbourne has moved on from its jarring four-match losing streak, carving out a couple of scratchy but important wins over battlers the Warriors and Gold Coast. Cameron Munster scored a hat-trick in a fullback masterclass against the Titans, while Cooper Johns returned to first grade with three try-assists.

But an injury to Jahrome Hughes will see Munster and Johns combine in the halves this week, with Nick Meaney set to come back in at fullback. Centre steamroller Justin Olam is a big in for the Storm, but Felise Kaufusi will miss the clash for family reasons.

Penrith’s 32-6 Magic Round thrashing of a weakened Melbourne was its fifth from the teams’ past eight encounters. This is just the rivals’ second match at the Panthers’ home ground since 2015.

The Panthers are understandably less dangerous sans Cleary and Luai, but they remain defensively ruthless and their replacements boast enough poise and punch to ensure the tries are still piling up. The Storm still look a shadow of themselves and must cut down their error rate to be any chance here.

But the mercurial Munster’s presence and JFH’s absence is reason enough to get behind the Storm with the start here.

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