<p>The 2024 NRL Finals are here! Only eight teams remain after one of the most thrilling, unpredictable and closely contested seasons in recent memory.</p> <p>It took all 27 rounds to finalise the top eight, with the final spot still up for grabs right up until the final game of the season.</p> <p>We got there in the end and now we stand on the precipice of <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/nrl/predictions/finals-week-1-2024-tips">the first week of the finals.</a></p> <p>The first cab off the finals rank is this epic Penrith Panthers vs Sydney Roosters showdown, with the winner booking a place straight to the Grand Final qualifier.</p> <p>Fear not, the loser lives to fight another day, getting the chance to take on the winner of the Bulldogs and Manly’s qualifying final.</p> <p>Who will that be? And who will win this heavyweight clash and book their place in the Preliminary Finals? Let’s find out.</p> <p>For the latest news, analysis, players to watch, betting tips odds and more for this clash, check out our Penrith Panthers vs Sydney Roosters predictions and preview below.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Panthers vs Roosters Preview</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>This game is truly the headline fixture of week 1 of the NRL finals. Both were among the preseason favourites for the premiership, and both have been a dominant force over the last decade.</p> <p>The last six consecutive Grand Finals have featured at least one of these sides and only on one occasion was the winner, not either of these teams.</p> <p>Obviously, this metric is slightly skewed due to the dominance of the Panthers, who have featured in the last four GFs, and of course have won the last three.</p> <p>Still, before their eras of dominance there was the Roosters, in 2018-19 they became the first side in the NRL era to win back-to-back premierships, redefining what was possible in a salary capped league.</p> <p>This truly is a clash of the Titans, and on paper you’d think would be close to the flip of a coin, but there are a number of major factors that suggest otherwise.</p> <p>First of all, there’s the head-to-head record. Do not adjust your devices, but Penrith have won their last nine straight against the Roosters. You have to go back to 2019 to find the last time the Bondi boys got up in this one.</p> <p>Then there’s the injury crisis. The Roosters lost three key men in Sam Walker, Brandon Smith and Victor Radley a fortnight ago, to send their post season plans into disarray.</p> <p>Luckily, they have one of the deepest squads in the NRL, but can their next man up mentality halt the Panthers juggernaut? We’ll have to wait and see.</p> <p>Penrith have their own injury problems too and could be facing the prospect of playing this one without the services of the game’s best player. If you don’t know who we’re talking about, just keep on reading.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Players to Watch</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Nathan Cleary</h3> <p>Will we get to watch him though? That is the real question. All the talk leading into this one is – will Cleary be fit to play?</p> <p>Widely considered to be the best player on the planet, fitness seems to be the only thing Nathan Cleary just can’t seem to master.</p> <p>He has been dogged by injuries through his still relatively young career and has been sidelined with a shoulder complaint for the last month.</p> <p>He is rumoured to be in line to return for this game, but will they risk him? It’s not quite do-or-die yet for the men from the foot of the mountains, but the advantage gained from winning this game is paramount in eventually lifting the Provan-Summons Trophy, as they very well know.</p> <p>Will they rush back their no.7 in the hope to secure the win and put him back on ice during the week off they will earn? Or will they trust the likes of Luai, Yeo, Edwards and Fisher-Harris to get the job done without their main man?</p>

<h3>James Tedesco</h3> <p>Due to the Roosters aforementioned injury problems, the brunt of their attacking responsibility will fall on the shoulders of skipper and fullback James Tedesco.</p> <p>Luckily for them he has hit top form at the right time. He scored two tries, recorded two try assists and made two line breaks last week in his side’s win over archrivals South Sydney.</p> <p>Keep an eye on him at Penrith Stadium as he does everything in his power to drag his side to the preliminary finals.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>James Fisher-Harris</h3> <p>Another James to keep an eye on in this one. Considered to be one of the best props in the game, this finals series will be his last for Penrith, before he links up with the Warriors.</p> <p>This could be his last finals series ever the way the Warriors have been going, so you can bet he’s going to make it count.</p> <p>Fresh off playing his 200th NRL game last week, all of which have been for Penrith, you can tell the best is yet to come from the Fish, so watch him to lead from the front and take the Roosters’ big boppers head on.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Connor Watson</h3> <p>Losing your starting no.9 would normally be detrimental to any hopes of premiership glory, but not if you have a NSW representative waiting in the wings.</p> <p>Connor Watson will be the man to fill the void left by Brandon Smith and after helping NSW lift the Origin shield this year, he might even prove to be an upgrade.</p>

<h2>Panthers vs Roosters Prediction and Betting Tips</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Head-to-Head Prediction</h3> <p>The Panthers are decent favourites in the H2H market here and it’s not hard to see why. The fact that they have won their last nine straight meetings against the Chooks makes them almost impossible not to pick.</p> <p>They also get to play at home, have far less injury concerns than the Tri-colours and simply know how to get it done at this stage of the year. With or without Cleary, all roads appear to point towards a Penrith victory.</p> <p><strong>Betting tip:</strong> Panthers 1-12.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>First Try Scorer Prediction</h3> <p>There are a number of candidates here that are more than viable for this market. You can’t really go wrong with any of the Roosters outside backs.</p> <p>James Tedesco loves finding his wingers and reports suggest both Dom Young and Daniel Tupou will be back on deck for this one.</p> <p>For Penrith, their wide men are always a shout too, but for more value, we like the looks of a rampaging Liam Martin, or a hot-stepping Jarome Luai to be the first to go over. They are among the Panthers’ more experienced players and know what needs to be done to get the chocolates on this stage.</p> <p><strong>Betting tip: </strong>Liam Martin or Dom Young.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Over/Under Prediction</h3> <p>With a number of elite attacking weapons potentially sidelined for this one, meat pies could be at a premium.</p> <p>Finals matches are also notoriously cagey affairs as neither side wants to make any unforced errors, the consequences of which are also magnified on this stage. The smart play here seems to be picking the under in the total points market.</p> <p><strong>Betting tip:</strong> Under total match points.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Panthers vs Roosters Match Details</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Date:</strong> Friday, September 13, 2024.</p> <p><strong>Kick-off: </strong>7:50pm AEST.</p> <p><strong>Location:</strong> Penrith Stadium&nbsp;</p>