Two teams in contrasting form open Round 6 of the 2026 NRL this Thursday, with the Canterbury Bulldogs hosting the Penrith Panthers at Accor Stadium.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s been three weeks since the Bulldogs picked up a win, losing to the Knights and Rabbitohs over the past two rounds.<\/p>\n
No such concern for Penrith, who are flying high at five wins from five with a competition-leading +150 points differential, having thrashed Melbourne 50-10 last week.<\/p>\n
Canterbury are typically known for their stoic defence, but they\u2019ve conceded 24 and 32 points over the last fortnight.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s hard to see that changing against the Panthers, who are averaging 38 points per game this season and have covered the -17.5 line in all five matches.<\/p>\n
With captain Stephen Crichton sidelined, expect some defensive disorganisation and another wide margin here.<\/p>\n
Jenkins has been red-hot in 2026, bagging 12 tries across just five appearances.<\/p>\n
That output is driven by Penrith\u2019s ability to create overlaps through Dylan Edwards, Paul Alamoti and Jenkins.<\/p>\n
With Marcelo Montoya looking vulnerable on the Bulldogs\u2019 left edge, Jenkins should continue to get chances.<\/p>\n
Cleary hasn\u2019t matched Jenkins\u2019 try output this season, but remains a constant threat with ball in hand.<\/p>\n
He scored last week against the Storm and also crossed in Round 2 against Cronulla.<\/p>\n
Playing in his 200th NRL match, expect Cleary to be heavily involved and potentially rewarded on the scoreboard.<\/p>\n