2021 NRL Grand Final – Penrith Panthers vs South Sydney Rabbitohs Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Penrith Panthers vs South Sydney Rabbitohs taking place? Sunday 3rd October, 2021 – 09:30 (UK)
Where is Penrith Panthers vs South Sydney Rabbitohs taking place? Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Where can I get tickets for Penrith Panthers vs South Sydney Rabbitohs? Click here for ticket information on 2021 NRL matches
What channel is Penrith Panthers vs South Sydney Rabbitohs on? Sky Sports Arena will be televising selected NRL games in the UK and you can find their schedule here. For Australian broadcasters, you can find a list here
Where can I stream Penrith Panthers vs South Sydney Rabbitohs? If televised on Sky Sports, then subscribers will be able to stream the match live via Sky Go. Alternatively, the match will be available to subscribers of Watch NRL
THE TEAM NEWS
PENRITH PANTHERS
Starting 13: Edwards, Crichton, Momirovski, Burton, To’o, Luai, Cleary, Leota, Koroisau, Fisher-Harris, Kikau, Capewell, Yeo – Interchanges: Ty. May, Sorensen, Leniu, Martin – Reserves: Naden, Kenny, Hopgood, Staines
Unavailable: Tevita Pangai Jnr. (Injured)
- Penrith Panthers went some way to gaining revenge for their Grand Final defeat against Melbourne Storm last year as they got the better of the reigning premiers to book their spot in this year’s showpiece.
- The Panthers showed some excellent defensive grit, something which has served them well for the majority of the season, and they will come into this contest confident that they have learned some lessons from last year’s loss.
SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Starting 13: Taaffe, Johnston, Gagai, Graham, Paulo, Walker, Reynolds, Nicholls, Cook, Tatola, Kolomatangi, Su’A, Murray – Interchanges: Marshall, Host, Burgess, Arrow – Reserves: Milne, Mago, Burns, Cartwright
Unavailable: Brock Gardner (Injured), Josh Mansour (Injured), Latrell Mitchell (Suspended)
- South Sydney produced a stunning first half display as they ran rampant against Manly Sea Eagles and that set the platform for them to book their place in the Grand Final in relatively comfortable fashion.
- The Rabbitohs have handled the loss of key man Latrell Mitchell to suspension excellently and showed their quality on both sides of the ball last week but they will be desperate for halfback Adam Reynolds to come into this game at full fitness having managed a groin injury last week.
THE PREDICTION
South Sydney Rabbitohs defeated Penrith Panthers in the first week of
the finals but the latter will hope that will count for very little as
the pair do battle in the NRL Grand Final. The Rabbitohs were superb in
that clash and the Panthers will have it all to do to overturn that loss but they have gone some way to fixing their issues from that contest
with brilliant defensive efforts in the last two weeks. Both teams are
capable of scoring points with the Rabbitohs scoring the second-highest
number of points during the regular season with the Panthers in fourth
while it was the team from the foot of the mountains that boasted the
best defence. They have shown their defensive quality in abundance to limit Parramatta Eels
and Melbourne Storm to a combined 12 points in their last two matches but the
Rabbitohs have looked ruthless at times this season and they can make it
back-to-back victories over the Panthers to lift the NRL premiership.
