Penrith Panthers vs Parramatta Eels Tips, Odds and Free Bonus Bets – NRL Finals 2022

BlueBet Stadium will play host to Friday's Round 26 NRL game between Penrith Panthers and Parramatta Eels. 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. Parramatta Eels game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Friday September 9, 2022 at 7:50 pm

Where: BlueBet Stadium

Bet: Bet On This Match HERE

Penrith Panthers vs Parramatta Eels Odds

Penrith Panthers vs Parramatta Eels Preview

The playoffs get underway with a Western Sydney barnburner. Penrith gapped the field to win the minor premiership in a canter with a 20-4 record. But fourth-placed Parramatta accounted for two of the defending champs’ four losses.

The latter was just six weeks ago, powering to a 34-10 win following Nathan Cleary’s first-half send-off. But the performance the Eels will be looking to channel is their gutsy 22-20 victory at Penrith in Round 9. Junior Paulo and Clint Gutherson led the way in a classic, while Dylan Brown and Ryan Matterson also starred.

The archrivals also met at the semi-final stage last year. The Panthers held on 8-6 against the courageous, under-strength Eels in Mackay.

A heavy loss to Souths aside, enigmatic Parramatta has found some elusive consistency with five wins in its last six games. The blue-and-golds backed up beatdowns of the Bulldogs and Broncos with a quality 22-14 defeat of the Storm last week to jump into the Top 4.

Penrith has been coasting to the end of the regular season and sent out a reserve-grade side against North Queensland last Saturday, which went down 38-8.

On top of Cleary’s return from a five-week suspension, the Panthers are at full strength with their 11 rested players and injured Api Koroisau and Spencer Leniu returning. Intriguingly, Jaeman Salmon has been named on the interchange.

The Eels are unchanged, with Nathan Brown named 18th man after returning from injury in NSW Cup last weekend.

Mouth-watering individual match-ups abound across the park and there’s no doubt the best of Gutherson, Brown, Mitchell Moses and Reed Mahoney – complemented by the firepower of Maika Sivo out wide and game-breakers in the pack – can rattle the seemingly unshakeable Panthers.

But it has to start up front with Paulo and Reagan Campbell-Gillard standing up to James Fisher-Harris, Moses Leota and co. The Panthers lost in week one to Souths last year (albeit in Queensland) and have a hint of vulnerability about them after a low-key build-up to the playoffs.

The Eels tend to lose big or win outright. But they have found a groove and should push a potentially rusty Panthers all the way – with an upset result certainly within reach.

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