Bulldogs vs Panthers Prediction: Penrith to pile the points high once more

| Wednesday 8th April 2026, 10:00

Wednesday 8th April 2026, 10:00

A historic start to the NRL Premiership season has seen the Penrith Panthers leave everyone else in their wake, and it’s the Canterbury Bulldogs who are next up in their sights in Round 6 on Thursday (19:50 local, 10:50 BST, Watch NRL).

With Thomas Jenkins scoring an all-time record 12 tries in the first five rounds, Ivan Cleary’s red-hot side have been blowing all comers away so far. My Bulldogs vs Panthers predictions follow, along with full team news and Betfred’s latest odds.

Bulldogs vs Panthers Betting Tips

Panthers Over 33.5 Points @ 11/10
Handicap 3-way Alt 1: Panthers -20 @ 7/5

*odds correct at time of publishing

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Bulldogs vs Panthers Odds

There’s absolutely no contest in this one according to the oddsmakers and neutrals alike, with the Panthers a massive favourite at 1/6. That’s an implied 85.7% chance.

The Bulldogs, who finished third in 2025, are a huge 9/2 for the win in 80 minutes. The draw is considered unlikely at 20/1.

Team News

The Dogs are without their captain Stephen Crichton after the Samoa international left the action early in the Good Friday defeat to the Rabbitohs due to a shoulder injury.

Bronson Xerri comes in for Crichton, while Harry Hayes is back on the bench having sat through concussion protocols last week.

Rugby League Odds

Cleary isn’t fixing what ain’t broken. With Mitch Kenny’s suspension over, the starting hooker returns for Freddy Lussick in the nine jumper.

Beyond that, the coach is holding firm with the side which has scored 190 points in five games including 50 against the 2025 Grand Finalist Storm last time out.

Panthers Over 33.5 Points @ 11/10

The Panthers can’t batter every opponent for the rest of time. I think.

But the Dogs are struggling right now in a way they haven’t for most of Cameron Ciraldo’s coaching tenure, and Penrith are as dominant as they have looked in the past decade – even accounting for their four successive titles between 2021 and 2024.

With Jenkins having posted a dozen tries already and at least two in every game - he’s gone 2,2,4,2,2 - there seems to be no stopping them.

Nathan Cleary is playing as well as he ever has, Dylan Edwards is a weapon on so many attacking sets, and behind a rolling pack they have the most clinical of outside-back divisions.

If the Over/Under was set at 53.5 points, I might still consider the Over.

Bulldogs vs Panthers - Panthers Total Points 30.5-33.5

Over 33.5

11/10

Bet Here

Odds correct at time of publishing.

Handicap 3-way Alt 1: Panthers -20 @ 7/5

The only thing that stops me plumping for the 24-point handicap at 21/10 is the fact that the Panthers gave up 20 to the Eels a couple of weeks ago.

Don’t get me wrong, they have been stingy other than in that one match, shipping just 20 in their other four victories.

Yet the way they just took a foot off the accelerator, allowing a 42-8 lead to be ever-so-slightly reduced to 48-20 by the end, leads me to think the Bulldogs might just keep the all-conquering Panthers within the five-score marker.

Either way, I can see Penrith being good for the 20 given their mesmeric form combined with the Bulldogs’ loss of Crichton to injury. Canterbury also gave up 32 to a far-less-dominant Bunnies outfit just six days ago.

Bulldogs vs Panthers - Handicap 3-Way Alt 1

Panthers -20

7/5

Bet Here

Odds correct at time of publishing.

You can read all our latest Rugby League Betting Tips at our dedicated Betfred Insights Rugby League content hub.