Nine's panel of tipping experts appear to be split on Sunday's clash between Penrith and Cronulla despite bookies heavily favouring the four-time reigning premiers.
The Panthers have been the best team in the NRL for almost half a decade and are about $1.67 with TAB to beat the Sharks and get their 2025 season off to a winning start in Las Vegas.
But Nine's tipsters, including Billy Slater, Paul Gallen and Ruan Sims, reckon the Shire men can spring an upset in Sin City.
Darren Lockyer is backing the Panthers to get an early win on the board.
It comes just days after Penrith coach Ivan Cleary sprang a selection shock in snubbing young gun recruit Blaize Talagi, much to the surprise of Phil Gould.
Blaize Talagi missed out on selection. Penrith Panthers
Talagi was poached from Parramatta, and many thought he would slot into the No.6 jumper left vacant by Jarome Luai's departure.
Instead, Jack Cole has been parachuted into the halves alongside Nathan Cleary and has no plans to surrender the jersey any time soon.
Speculation has been spreading around Las Vegas that Talagi's absence is due to a shoulder operation he underwent during the off-season.
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He has been named in the extended squad and could yet be brought into the line-up before kick-off on Sunday.
Some NRL coaches have previously tried to hide young or new players from the media spotlight by naming them on an extended bench, only to play them on game day.
Whatever Ivan Cleary's plan is, it's hard to question the decisions of a four-time premiership-winning coach.
In the first game on Sunday – which will officially kick off the 2025 NRL season – our experts are pretty evenly split between the Raiders and the Warriors.
The Warriors are a $1.65 favourite to win the game with TAB.
Scroll below for the Las Vegas tips from all Nine's expert tipsters!
Paul Gallen: Raiders, Sharks
Billy Slater: Warriors, Sharks
Darren Lockyer: Warriors, Panthers
Ruan Sims: Warriors, Sharks
David Middleton: Raiders, Panthers
Peter Psaltis: Raiders, Panthers
Matthew Thompson: Raiders, Sharks
The Mole: Warriors, Panthers