The story of this game
Blaize Talagi is our top pick of the round. The Warriors concede to five-eighths at a significantly elevated rate, Talagi earns short-range sets regularly, and his $3.50 price represents genuine positive EV at the HIGH tier. The Panthers at home are the obvious structural favourites — but the Warriors have a competitive squad with Te Maire Martin, Wayde Egan and James Fisher-Harris all capable of influencing this game. This is a high-pick-count fixture — five edges across both teams.
Model picks
Model picks — 5 total
1 HIGH: Blaize Talagi ($3.50)
4 LOW: Wayde Egan ($7.50), Jackson Ford ($7.50), Te Maire Martin ($5.00), Jacob Laban ($6.00)
Blaize Talagi
Wayde Egan
Jackson Ford
Te Maire Martin
Jacob Laban
What to watch
Talagi's involvement in sets inside the 20. He doesn't need to be the primary playmaker — just in the right place when the Panthers go short. On the Warriors side, Te Maire Martin at halfback is the creative piece — if he can manage the kicking duel against Cogger, the Warriors' edges stay alive into the second half.
Named 17
Panthers
- Dylan Edwards (1·Fullback)
- Thomas Jenkins (2·Winger)
- Izack Tago (3·Centre)
- Luke Garner (4·Centre)
- Paul Alamoti (5·Winger)
- Blaize Talagi (6·Five-Eighth)
- Jack Cogger (7·Halfback)
- Moses Leota (8·Prop)
- Freddy Lussick (9·Hooker)
- Liam Henry (10·Prop)
- Isaiah Papali'i (11·2nd Row)
- Liam Martin (12·2nd Row)
- Lindsay Smith (13·Lock)
Warriors
- Taine Tuaupiki (1·Fullback)
- Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (2·Winger)
- Ali Leiataua (3·Centre)
- Adam Pompey (4·Centre)
- Alofiana Khan-Pereira (5·Winger)
- Chanel Harris-Tavita (6·Five-Eighth)
- Te Maire Martin (7·Halfback)
- James Fisher-Harris (8·Prop)
- Wayde Egan (9·Hooker)
- Jackson Ford (10·Prop)
- Leka Halasima (11·2nd Row)
- Jacob Laban (12·2nd Row)
- Erin Clark (13·Lock)