Canterbury Bulldogs vs Penrith Panthers: Bulldogs to take a bite out of weakened Panthers

There are just two rounds of the regular season remaining in the NRL and reigning champions Penrith Panthers have rested most of their star names for Thursday's trip to Canterbury Bulldogs. (10.50 BST).

 Alex Hilton provides his best bets for this contest which sees the Bulldogs looking to cement their place in the top, with the Panthers already looking ahead to the end of season extravaganza.

Team News

Josh Curran comes into the Bulldogs’ starting line-up for Viliame Kikau, who has been hospitalised with a skin infection.

Prop Harry Hayes is facing six weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring injury so Daniel Suluka-Fifita has been added to the bench.

With the top four out of reach Panthers head coach Ivan Cleary has chosen to rest 16 of his frontline players.

Back-rower Matt Eisenhuth will captain a side that includes Premiership winners Paul Alamoti on the wing and Jack Cole at halfback, while back-rower Zac Lipowicz, centres John Fonua and David Fale and bench forward Billy Phillips make their NRL debuts.

Match Odds

The Panthers have won their last eight games against the Bulldogs but they are a hefty 7/1 to win this contest having rested most of their key men ahead of the play-offs.

Canterbury have won seven of nine home matches this term and they are just 1/14 to improve that record this week. The home side are 11/10 giving up 22 points on the handicap.

Canterbury Bulldogs -22 @ 11/10

The Panthers' grip on the NRL trophy is looser than it has been for a long time and the reigning champions will have to do it the hard way if they are to land the title for a fifth straight year.

Cleary's side have slipped out of the top four with just two games of the regular season remaining, meaning they can't afford to slip up in the play-offs, with the sides in fifth to eighth spot eliminated should they lose.

The top four get a second bite of the cherry in the end-of-season series, but that ship has sailed so Cleary has chosen to rest most of his star names to ensure fresh legs for the knockout rounds.

It's hard to see anything other than a home win as the Bulldogs need a victory to stay in the top four as they start the round in third and they could still mathematically be caught by the Broncos or the Sharks.

One point would be enough to seal a top-four spot but a win looks highly likely on Thursday and they should be able to cover a 22-point handicap against a second-string Panthers line-up.

Under 15.5 total Panthers points @ 4/9

Cleary has chosen to rest 16 of his first-choice players for this clash and that means debuts for at least four players and rare starts for plenty of reserve-grade players, so backing a low total for the visitors should pay off despite the skinny odds.

It was 8-6 to the Panthers when these two met in round 17 and, although the Bulldogs are fancied to score heavily in this rematch, another low total for the champions can be expected with an unfamiliar line-up taking to the field. 

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