We take a look at Friday evenings (23/8/2019) NRL 2019 Week 23 match is between the North Queensland Cowboys and the Penrith Panthers. The Panthers go into this game as favourites despite being the away side, can the Cowboys show some fight in what has been a disappointing season for the club?
When: Friday August 23rd, 6:00pm
Where: 1300Smiles Stadium
Bet: Bet On This Match HERE
Preview:
The Panthers are struggling to rediscover the form that saw them win seven in a row midseason but will fancy their chances of victory against a sliding Cowboys side on Friday night.
Penrith is just outside the eight in ninth spot and suffered a 24-12 loss to the Broncos last weekend. The Panthers peppered the Broncos line in the second half to no avail, with a runaway Payne Haas try sealing victory for Brisbane.
The Cows were blown off the park by the Knights in Newcastle. A 12-6 deficit at half-time turned into a 42-6 thumping after 80 minutes in an afternoon to forget for the Queenslanders.
These two sides last played in Bathurst last season where the Cowboys produced an upset 26-20 win.
Veteran prop Matt Scott suffered a stroke on the weekend and may have played his final game of football in shattering news for the big man. The Cows have a few positional reshuffles this week, as do the Panthers, who welcome Jerome Luai back into the fold after missing through an eye injury.
1300SMILES Stadium hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for the home side who have won just three times from 10 starts at home. Penrith’s away form isn’t much to get excited about either with four wins away from Panthers Stadium in 2019, but with finals on the line, The Wolf can see them lifting behind a big game from their halves.
Odds:
Tip: Penrith Panthers at $1.68
Value Tip: First Try Scorer: Kyle Feldt at $8.50
Teams:
Cowboys: 1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Kyle Feldt 3. Jordan Kahu 4. Tom Opacic 5. Murray Taulagi 6. Michael Morgan 7. Jake Clifford 8. Scott Bolton 9. Jake Granville 10. Jordan McLean 11. Gavin Cooper 12. Shane Wright 13. John Asiata 14. Reuben Cotter 15. Coen Hess 16. Peter Hola 17. Francis Molo 18. Jason Taumalolo 19. Tom Gilbert 20. Corey Jensen 21. Gideon Gela-Mosby.
Panthers: 1. Dylan Edwards 2. Stephen Crichton 3. Dean Whare 4. Brent Naden 5. Brian To’o 6. James Maloney 7. Nathan Cleary 8. James Tamou 9. Mitch Kenny 10. James Fisher-Harris 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo 14. Jarome Luai 15. Spencer Leniu 16. Moses Leota 17. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 18. Wayde Egan 19. William Burns 20. Malakai Watene-Zelezniak 21. Hame Sele.
*Odds correct at time of posting. Subject to change