2021 NRL – Sydney Roosters vs Penrith Panthers Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Sydney Roosters vs Penrith Panthers taking place? Saturday 7th August, 2021 – 08:30 (UK)
Where is Sydney Roosters vs Penrith Panthers taking place? Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Where can I get tickets for Sydney Roosters vs Penrith Panthers? Click here for ticket information on 2021 NRL matches
What channel is Sydney Roosters vs Penrith Panthers 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 Sydney Roosters vs Penrith Panthers? 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
SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Starting 13: Tedesco, Tupou, Keighran, Manu, Copley, Hutchison, Walker, Waerea-Hargreaves, Verrills, Liu, Crichton, Tupouniua, Radley – Interchanges: Lam, N. Butcher, E. Butcher, Taukeiaho – Reserves: B. Marschke, Baker, Graham-Taufa, Whyte
Unavailable: Luke Keary (Injured), Lindsay Collins (Injured), Joseph Suaalii (Injured), Matt Ikuvalu (Injured), Billy Smith (Injured), Josh Morris (Injured)
- Sydney Roosters produced a brilliant display to overcome Parramatta Eels with that victory significantly boosting their chances of making the top four as they drew level on competition points with their rivals.
- It now looks like a three-way battle for fourth between the Roosters, the Eels and Manly Sea Eagles after the Tricolours nilled Parramatta last week, scoring 28 points in the process with them showing their defensive qualities in abundance in that contest.
PENRITH PANTHERS
Starting 13: Edwards, Staines, Momirovski, Capewell, Naden, Burton, Luai, Leota, Koroisau, Martin, Kikau, Sorensen, Yeo – Interchanges: Kenny, Pangai Jnr., Leniu, Eisenhuth – Reserves: Tago, Ta. May, Hopgood, Cleary
Unavailable: James Fisher-Harris (Personal Reasons), Tyrone May (Injured), Brian To’o (Injured), Stephen Crichton (Suspended)
- Penrith Panthers fell well short in what many believe was a rehearsal of the Grand Final with Melbourne Storm getting the better of the under-strength Panthers with that loss ending their four-match winning streak.
- The Panthers could not cope with the quality of the side at the top of the ladder in the 37-10 defeat but they are boosted here with the return of some key players while Nathan Cleary could also come back into the side after he was named in among the reserves.
THE PREDICTION
This is an important contest for both Sydney Roosters and Penrith
Panthers with the pair having plenty to play for. The Roosters made it
four consecutive victories with a superb performance against Parramatta
Eels last week and they will look to build on that defensive effort
having nilled their opponents. They can now see a clear path to finish
in the top four while the Panthers need to win this to solidify their
spot in the top two which is now under threat from South Sydney
Rabbitohs after going down to Melbourne Storm last week. They were
missing several key men in that clash but they look a lot stronger for
this Round 21 tussle and will be a real threat if Nathan Cleary returns.
That said, with so much at stake in this game, it could be a nervy
affair with defences on top and there should be no more than 48 points
as a result, a total that has not been surpassed in any of Penrith’s
last four matches.
