Canberra Raiders vs Penrith Panthers Preview
The Panthers should be much too good for the Canberra Raiders with a wide-margin win predicted. Penrith love a Sunday game and a 10+ point victory is on the cards.
- Penrith have won 11 of their last 12 matches played on Sunday.
- 4 of the last 5 matches between Canberra and Penrith have gone under the game total.
- Penrith allow just 13.55 points per game in 2026.
- Casey McLean scored a double last time he played against the Raiders.
Head to Head
The Raiders got up 20-16 in golden point at Glen Willow Regional Sports Stadium in the only clash between these two sides in 2025. Canberra also took a four-point victory over Penrith in 2024.
Penrith won five straight prior to these results.
Canberra Raiders Form - Raiders Improving
The Raiders are finding their feet again after a minor premiership hangover where they started the season 1-4. Their scrappy 28-12 win against the Titans gave them three wins from their last four matches.
An early double from Simi Sasagi put Canberra on the front foot early but after a 20min try by Kaeo Weekes the Raiders bogged down a little and gave the Titans a sniff. It was more that the Gold Coast couldn’t take advantage than the Raiders were class.
Ethan Strange and Ethan Sanders have not been up to the task for me just yet. The game control that they lost when Jamal Fogarty left has not been matched just yet. As the halves pairing matures the Raiders will improve.
Penrith Panthers Form - Unstoppable Panthers
Nothing is stopping the Panthers right now, not even the bullet train of momentum that was Kieren Foran and the Manly Sea Eagles. The north shorers pushed Penrith to their limit but the class, depth and composure of the ladder leaders is literally unmatchable.
The Panthers defence is in Premiership winning form once again, averaging just 13.55 points against per game. If opposition don’t take early chances there is no way to come out of the grip of their relentless control.
Penrith are ticking all the boxes once again, ranked in the top 3 in points, possession, line breaks, run metres, missed tackles, just to name a few.
Nathan Cleary is dictating everything, leading the league with 11 try assists, 84 attacking kicks and is third in total kick metres.
The emergence of Blaize Talagi as a running half is also giving the Panthers a second option with the 21-year-old starting to deliver on all the promise he had when he moved to the foot of the mountain last season.