Penrith Panthers v St. George Illawarra Dragons Prediction, Tips and Bet Builder

Losing all of their opening nine games of the NRL season, it's been a nightmare start for St. George Illawarra Dragons as they prepare to face title contenders Penrith Panthers in the Magic Round on Sunday.

Against a Panthers side who boast the best defensive record in the NRL after their first 10 games, it's difficult to imagine the Dragons leaving Suncorp Stadium with anything but another defeat.

Penrith Panthers v St. George Illawarra Dragons Tips Summary

Best Bet - Penrith Panthers -26.5 handicap @ 1.91
Alternative Bet - Blaize Talagi anytime tryscorer @ 2.45
Bet Builder - Nathan Cleary, Brian To'o & Thomas Jenkins anytime tryscorers @ 6.50

Penrith Panthers v St. George Illawarra Dragons Prediction

Best Bet: Penrith Panthers -26.5 handicap @ 1.91

Winning six of their last seven meetings with the Dragons, the Panthers have dominated this fixture in recent years.

The Dragons hardly look like changing their fortunes around in Brisbane this weekend, especially considering their defensive record this season.

Conceding 309 points at an average of 34.3 per game, makes it extremely difficult to win matches in the NRL.

The Panthers are scoring an average of 32.1 points per game and Penrith are backed to cover the -26.5 handicap on offer here.

Alternative Bet: Blaize Talagi anytime tryscorer @ 2.45

Blaize Talagi is emerging as a potential superstar in the NRL and his tryscoring form speaks for itself.

With three tries in his last two games, including a brace in a 30-18 victory away at the Canberra Raiders, the 21-year-old Talagi gets the nod in the anytime tryscorer market.

Penrith Panthers v St. George Illawarra Dragons Bet Builder Tip

• Nathan Cleary anytime tryscorer

• Brian To'o anytime tryscorer

• Thomas Jenkins anytime tryscorer

  Pays 6.50

Nathan Cleary has scored seven tries in his last seven games against the Dragons and is one of three players selected in the anytime tryscorer market for this three-fold bet builder.

Brian To'o has also scored three tries in his last two outings and gets the thumbs up too, as does Thomas Jenkins, who leads the way in the standings with a remarkable 16 tries in the NRL already this season.

Learn more about how Bet Builders work in our Bet Builder guide.

Key Match Stats

• St. George Illawarra Dragons have lost all of their nine games in the NRL this season

• The Dragons suffered a 44-10 defeat at home to the Newcastle Knights in their last outing

• The Dragons have conceded 309 points in their first nine games at an average of 34.3 per match

• Penrith Panthers are on a four-game winning streak

• The Panthers have won six of their last seven meetings with the Dragons

Read more rugby league betting tips and predictions on site.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.