- 1 Tigers vs Panthers : Penrith want to remind everyone who runs the show
- 2 The Tigers are improving, but the absences hurt
- 3 The Panthers keep stacking up wins
- 4 The Luai-Penrith reunion adds another layer
- 5 NRL Prediction Tigers vs Panthers
- 6 First, a word on our predictions
- 7 No commitment from us
- 8 Information changes
- 9 Your responsibility
- 10 Responsible gambling first
- 11 Legal age
- 12 About the images…
Tigers vs Panthers : Penrith want to remind everyone who runs the show 
Sunday afternoon serves up a genuinely tasty clash between the Tigers and the Panthers at CommBank Stadium.
On paper, Penrith are still the clear favourites. But this 2026 Tigers side has very little in common with the one that kept hanging around the bottom of the table in recent seasons.
More disciplined, better organised and a lot more competitive, Benji Marshall’s men have found an identity again.
The catch? They have run straight into the benchmark team in the competition.
The Tigers are improving, but the absences hurt 
Last week’s win over the Bulldogs backed up a trend that has been building for months.
The Tigers are no longer an easy team to bully around.
In a tight game, they stayed patient, defended hard and took the big chances when they came, eventually edging it 22-16.
The biggest change is in the spine.
Jahream Bula brings plenty of spark from the back, Jarome Luai keeps passing on his winning habits to the group, while Api Koroisau remains the real conductor.
His control of tempo and his work around the ruck have completely changed the look of this team.
Up front, Terrell May and Fonua Pole are still doing enough to win metres and keep the Tigers in games.
But this week, the bad news is in the forward pack.
The losses of Alex Twal and Samuela Fainu could be costly against Penrith.
Twal is one of the most reliable middle men in the side, the sort who can absorb a mountain of defensive work. Fainu adds real punch out wide.
Against the best side in the league, losing that kind of presence is never ideal.
The Tigers can stay competitive. But they will probably need their cleanest performance of the season if they want to hang in for 80 minutes against the Panthers.
The Panthers keep stacking up wins 
Meanwhile, the Panthers keep doing what they have done for years: winning.
Their 20-18 victory over the Warriors was probably not their flashiest display, but it summed up exactly why this side is so hard to crack.
Even missing several key men after Origin, the Panthers found a way through in a brutally tight contest.
Once again, their ability to handle the key moments made the difference.
This week, Ivan Cleary gets several big names back.
Nathan Cleary, Isaah Yeo and Brian To’o are all expected to return, and that changes the shape of the team completely.
To’o, as ever, turns ugly situations into comfortable exits from their own end with his relentless running.
When those three are on the field, Penrith’s game plan is far harder to stop.
They are masters at squeezing the life out of opponents with discipline, defensive structure and constant pressure.
Against a weakened Tigers pack, that approach could do serious damage again.
The Luai-Penrith reunion adds another layer
This one also has a bit of extra edge.
Jarome Luai faces the club where he won four straight titles.
The Tigers halfback knows the Panthers’ systems inside out and will try to steer his side towards one of the shocks of the season.
But Penrith arrive in buoyant mood.
Seven straight wins, a defence still as stubborn as ever, and the return of several stars after Origin: the signs are all pointing one way.
For the Tigers, the job is simple enough — stay in touch for as long as possible.
For Penrith, it is just another night at the office.
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NRL Prediction Tigers vs Panthers
Tom Jenkins (Panthers) to score a try
The Panthers should spend plenty of time in the opposition half and create several chances out wide.
With Nathan Cleary back pulling the strings and Penrith’s usual sharp work near the tryline, Tom Jenkins could get more than a few openings.
Against a Tigers side already having to cover for key losses up front, space could start to appear on the edges.
Tom Jenkins has the right profile to punish that.
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Information changes
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