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Penrith Panthers vs Cronulla Sharks NRL Round 2 Tips & Prediction - Panthers to win on the back of defence
The Penrith Panthers are predicted to emerge victorious in the NRL Round 2 clash against the Cronulla Sharks. With the match set at Carrington Park, the Panthers are expected to rely on their robust defense that previously held their opponents scoreless. While the Sharks come off a strong win against the Titans, the Panthers' track record and ability to keep Cronulla scoreless in past encounters positions them as favorites. Key player Tom Jenkins is anticipated to deliver another standout performance for Penrith.
- Penrith Panthers vs Cronulla Sharks predictions for Saturday's NRL Round 2 game
- Sharks have struggled to score points in recent years vs Panthers
- Penrith coming off 26-0 blitz of the Broncos in Round 1
- The game is scheduled for kick off at 7.30pm AEDT on Saturday March 14
Penrith Panthers vs Cronulla Sharks NRL Round 2 Tips & Prediction
Carrington Park in Bathurst plays host to a pair of premiership contenders, but it's the Panthers who are tipped to come away with the two competition points on Saturday night.
I know it's very early stages, but could the Panthers be playing with extra motivation this season after their premiership dynasty came to an end last year? Keeping the reigning premiers to nil in their opening game on the road is a mighty statement and the scary thing is there's plenty for Penrith to improve on even though they are near the top of the Premiership Odds Rankings - but the one constant with Ivan Cleary's troops is rock solid defence. That's the cornerstone to their success and I think they'll knuckle down again out west.
The Sharks were impressive in their 50-10 demolition of the Titans, but Gold Coast were barely even NSW Cup standard in an embarrassing performance. We'll get a clearer indication of where Cronulla are truly at here - an upset would go a long way to shedding the flat-track bully tag. But I don't see it happening.
The Panthers have kept Cronulla scoreless in three of their last seven meetings. That's a ridiculous stat considering how rare 'Win To Nils' are in this sport. On the back of their flawless defence last week, I'm taking the Panthers to cover a -7.5 line, keep the Sharkies Under 17.5 total points and for the prolific Tom Jenkins to cross after last week's double.
Panthers vs Sharks Stats & Trends
- Panthers have won nine of the last 10 meetings between the teams
- Panthers have kept Sharks to 10 points or less in four of the last five meetings
- Panthers have kept Sharks scoreless in three of the last seven meetings
- Panthers are coming off a 26-0 win over Brisbane last week
- Panthers have kept their opponents Under 17.5 points in three of their last four NRL games
- Panthers have covered a -7.5 line in eight of their last nine wins
- Tom Jenkins has scored 15 tries in his last 16 games
Panthers vs Sharks Head To Head
This will be their first meeting since Round 1 in Vegas last year, where the Panthers scored late for a 28-22 victory. Penrith have dominated this matchup in recent times, winning nine of the last 10.
| Year | Winner | Score | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Penrith Panthers | 28–22 | Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas |
| 2024 | Penrith Panthers | 26–6 | Accor Stadium, Sydney |
| 2024 | Penrith Panthers | 42–0 | PointsBet Stadium, Sydney |
| 2023 | Penrith Panthers | 28–0 | BlueBet Stadium, Penrith |
| 2022 | Penrith Panthers | 20–10 | BlueBet Stadium, Penrith |
Penrith Panthers Form Analysis
It was classic Penrith last week as they suffocated the Broncos in a 26-0 ambush on the road.
Defence once again laid the platform and although Penrith weren't completely seamless in attack, they didn't need to be.
Dylan Edwards was on song, running for 260 metres and scoring a try, while Tom Jenkins crossed for a double after being a late inclusion on the wing.
Ivan Cleary was pleased with how his side showed up for Round 1.
"A good result, and defensively definitely happy with the scoreline," Cleary said.
"There was plenty of Round 1 about it, but I thought there was enough defensive pressure from both sides to cause a few errors."
Penrith Panthers Team News
Cleary has stuck with the same squad that downed the Broncos, with Jenkins retaining his place on the wing and Paul Alamoti staying at centre.
1. Dylan Edwards
2. Thomas Jenkins
3. Paul Alamoti
4. Casey McLean
5. Brian To’o
6. Blaize Talagi
7. Nathan Cleary
8. Moses Leota
9. Mitch Kenny
10. Lindsay Smith
11. Isaiah Papali’i
12. Luke Garner
13. Isaah Yeo
Interchange
14. Jack Cogger
15. Billy Phillips
16. Scott Sorensen
17. Kalani Going
Reserves
18. Izack Tago
19. Freddy Lussick
20. Tom Ale
21. Jack Cole
22. Sione Fonua
Cronulla Sharks Form Analysis
The Sharks ran rampant over a terrible Titans side last week, putting on a show in front of their home fans to prevail 50-10.
Brayden Trindall produced one of the finest performances of his career, scoring a double and combining nicely with Nicho Hynes.
Addin Fonua-Blake was his usual powerhouse self through the middle, running for 200 metres and his battle with Moses Leota will be one to watch in this clash.
Cronulla Sharks Team News
1. William Kennedy
2. Sione Katoa
3. Jesse Ramien
4. KL Iro
5. Samuel Stonestreet
6. Braydon Trindall
7. Nicho Hynes
8. Addin Fonua-Blake
9. Blayke Brailey
10. Thomas Hazelton
11. Briton Nikora
12. Billy Burns
13. Jesse Colquhoun
Interchange
14. Siosifa Talakai
15. Toby Rudolf
16. Oregon Kaufusi
17. Braden Hamlin-Uele
Reserves
18. Hohepa Puru
19. Chris Veaila
20. Jayden Berrell
21. Niwhai Puru
22. Michael Gabrael
Verdict
The Panthers are tipped to cover on the back of their defence, with Tom Jenkins scoring once again.
Panthers -7.5
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