Free tips & NRL Finals specials for Sea Eagles vs. Panthers

DEJA vu must be a common phenomenon among Manly and Penrith supporters right now.

It was only a few days ago that the Sea Eagles jumped the Panthers to gain the upper hand in the 2017 NRL Finals Series rankings.

Now they clash again, but this time there is no consolation prize for the vanquished.

Manly have all the momentum as they chase a third consecutive victory, and we have seen already this season that they are capable of big results against quality opposition.

But finals footy is a different beast altogether, and the switch from Lottoland to Allianz Stadium could play into Penrith’s hands.

The Panthers were shaping up as potential premiership bolters until closing the regular season with back-to-back defeats.

That killed off any slim hopes of a top-four finish, although the strong form of Parramatta means Anthony Griffin’s men could have climbed no higher than fifth in any case.

Ultimately, Penrith have paid the price for a dreadful start that saw them flirting with the foot of the table in the first half of the campaign.

Both clubs have named unchanged lineups for Saturday night, although there is an outside chance Dylan Edwards could shake off a knee complaint to suit up for the Panthers.

There is no such hope for Penrith skipper Matt Moylan, who has taken an indefinite leave of absence for personal reasons.

Sea Eagles vs. Panthers match tip

Manly Sea Eagles to win by 1-12 points – $3.10 at Sportsbet

It would be fair to say the Panthers have not enjoyed an ideal preparation.

Consecutive defeats leading into finals is one thing, but losing your skipper to highly publicised off-field issues is enough to distract even the most well-oiled of rugby league machines.

If Edwards misses as well, Penrith will find it difficult to break down a Manly forward pack that held firm at Brookvale last week.

That said, we must not forget that the Sea Eagles are capable of spectacular collapses against decent teams.

It was only a few weeks back that they conceded a whopping 92 points across consecutive defeats to St George Illawarra and Melbourne.

Manly look to have found their focus, however, and a repeat of last week’s effort should deliver the goods once again.

Sportsbet NRL Same Game Multi bonus

• Manly Sea Eagles to win – $1.60
• Akuila Uate anytime tryscorer – $1.83
• Total points under 40.5 – $1.90

Multi pays $6 at Sportsbet.com.au

Sportsbet is running an enticing multi special throughout the NRL Finals Series.

If you place a Same Game Multi bet of three or more parts, you can get up to $50 back in bonus bets if only one leg fails.

For example: if Manly Warringah lose the match but our other two selections come through, our stake will be refunded up to $50 in bonus cash.

This deal is only available on smartphone and tablet devices via either the Sportsbet mobile website or the dedicated betting apps for iOS and Android.

Follow our links to learn more.

More NRL Finals betting specials

• Early payouts on NRL Finals at Sportsbet if your team leads by 12 points or more at any time
• Ladbrokes Bet Blast and NRL Footy Freaks specials for every day of NRL Finals Week 1
• Cash back up to $50 at CrownBet for mixed AFL and NRL multi bets that miss by one leg