The two best teams in the competition go head-to-head on Thursday night as the Panthers and Roosters battle for outright top spot on the ladder. With the minor premiership race heating up and finals approaching, this blockbuster shapes as one of the games of the season.

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Matchday Details

Thursday, 13 August 2026 – 7:50pm AEST – CommBank Stadium, Sydney
📺 Nine Network / Nine Now / Kayo / Foxtel
Referee: Adam Gee | Bunker: Ashley Klein

Penrith Panthers: 1. Jaxen Edgar, 2. Thomas Jenkins, 3. Paul Alamoti, 4. Izack Tago, 5. Brian To’o, 6. Jack Cogger, 7. Nathan Cleary (c), 8. Moses Leota, 9. Freddy Lussick, 10. Liam Henry, 11. Isaiah Papali’i, 12. Liam Martin, 13. Lindsay Smith, 14. Billy Scott, 15. Scott Sorensen, 16. Luron Patea, 17. Billy Phillips, 18. Jack Cole, 19. Blaize Talagi, 20. Dylan Edwards, 21. Jesse McLean, 22. Kalani Leuluai-Going

Sydney Roosters: 1. James Tedesco (c), 2. Billy Smith, 3. Hugo Savala, 4. Robert Toia, 5. Mark Nawaqanitawase, 6. Daly Cherry-Evans, 7. Sam Walker, 8. Naufahu Whyte, 9. Reece Robson, 10. Spencer Leniu, 11. Salesi Foketi, 12. Siua Wong, 13. Victor Radley, 14. Connor Watson, 15. Lindsay Collins, 16. Nat Butcher, 17. Egan Butcher, 18. Cody Ramsey, 19. Tommy Talau, 20. Rex Bassingthwaighte, 21. Benaiah Ioelu, 22. Taylor Losalu

Match Preview

Blockbusters don’t come much bigger than this.

Thursday night’s match between the Penrith Panthers and Sydney Roosters at CommBank Stadium is not just a contest between two rivals but a battle between the two teams equal at the top of the table.

With both sides sitting on 36 competition points, victory will be crucial for their chances at the minor premiership.

The biggest team news is the loss of Panthers co-captain Isaah Yeo to a pectoral injury. Lindsay Smith moves to lock in his place, with Liam Henry starting at prop. Dylan Edwards has been named among the reserves as he looks to return from a shoulder complaint, while Jack Cogger will return at five-eighth after missing the loss to the Warriors, forcing Jack Cole back to the bench.

There’s just one change to the Roosters squad that beat the Bulldogs on Friday night, with captain James Tedesco returning from an ankle complaint, seeing Cody Ramsey return to the bench. Spencer Leniu has been named at prop but may switch with Nat Butcher just before kick-off again.

The Panthers have sat atop the table since Round 3, but for the first time, their position is under threat, having lost four of the past seven, including their 28-12 loss to the Warriors on the weekend.

The Roosters are hitting form at the right end of the season, with seven straight wins lifting them to second. They were far from their best in their 20-18 victory over Canterbury but still managed to escape with a win that they wouldn’t have in seasons previous. Their defence has generally been solid over the course of their winning streak, however they will need their ball security to match it if they want to beat the Panthers.

The key match-up in this fixture will be between opposing halfbacks Nathan Cleary and Sam Walker. The two went head-to-head in the State of Origin series with Cleary coming out on top, however had things gone slightly differently it could have been Walker celebrating a series victory and a Wally Lewis Medal. The last two weeks have shown a full range of Walker, from one of the best performances of his career against North Queensland to a poor performance against the Bulldogs. With Origin still fresh in his memory and a chance to prove himself ahead of finals, Walker will be determined to show his best against the ever-consistent Cleary.

The battle on the wing between Tom Jenkins and Mark Nawaqanitawase could also prove crucial in deciding the outcome. Nawaqanitawase has proven time and again what an attacking threat he is and that he can do things most other wingers can’t, though he does have the occasional defensive lapses. Jenkins is scoring tries for fun in 2026, racking up a historic 28 tries thus far, four of which came against Nawaqanitawase back in Round 3.

The Roosters hold the advantage in all-time matches between the clubs with 57 wins from 104 games, but it’s been all Penrith since 2020 with the Panthers winning 12 of the past 13. The Panthers have scored 407 points in that time with the Roosters managing just 188. The Panthers have scored at least four tries in 11 of those 13 games, with the Roosters scoring more than three just twice in that same time. Of some solace for the Roosters is the fact that their lone victory over the Panthers since 2020 came in their one meeting at CommBank Stadium in 2025. Victory for the Roosters would see them end a round on top of the table for the first time since Round 2, 2021.

Prediction

RLZ Tip: Panthers by 4.
Full Round 24 tips → /nrl-round-24-predictions-2026/
Bold call: Nathan Cleary to set up the winning try in the final 10 minutes.

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Lachlan Jeffery
Panthers lower grades reporter for The Western Weekender.

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