2025 R1 Thu - Sydney 14-50 Brisbane @ Allianz

[League Unlimited News]

NRL 2025 - Round 1
Sydney Roosters v Brisbane Broncos
Allianz Stadium, Moore Park / Gadigal (TICKETS)

Thursday 6 March 2025
8:00pm AEDT
Live on Nine, 9Now, Fox, Kayo

1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Mark Nawaqanitawase 4. Robert Toia 5. Dominic Young 6. Sandon Smith 7. Chad Townsend 8. Lindsay Collins 9. Connor Watson 10. Naufahu Whyte 11. Angus Crichton 12. Victor Radley 13. Nat Butcher
14. Zach Dockar-Clay 15. Siua Wong 16. Blake Steep 17. Salesi Foketi
18. Hugo Savala 19. Taylor Losalu 20. Ethan King 21. Fetalaiga Pauga 22. Makahesi Makatoa

1. Reece Walsh 2. Selwyn Cobbo 3. Deine Mariner 4. Gehamat Shibasaki 5. Jesse Arthars 6. Ben Hunt 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Patrick Carrigan 9. Cory Paix 10. Payne Haas 11. Jack Gosiewski 12. Jordan Riki 13. Kobe Hetherington
14. Billy Walters 15. Corey Jensen 16. Xavier Willison 17. Brendan Piakura
18. Tyson Smoothy 19. Delouise Hoeter 20. Martin Taupau 21. Benjamin Te Kura 22. Jaiyden Hunt

Referee: Gerard Sutton​ Sideline Officials: Drew Oultram, Chris Sutton​ Video Referees: Chris Butler​

HEAD TO HEAD - 1988 - 2024​

	TOTAL	SYD	BNE	DRAWN
ALL MATCHES	59	27	32	0
ALLIANZ	0	0	0	0

LAST FIVE MEETINGS​

YEAR	ROUND	RESULT	VENUE	CROWD
2022	Round 5	SYD 24-20	Suncorp	23508
2022	Round 21	SYD 34-16	SCG	10495
2023	Round 22	BNE 32-10	The Gabba	21841
2024	Round 1	SYD 20-10	Allegiant	40746
2024	Round 9	SYD 40-18	Suncorp	40190

BIGGEST WINS​

YEAR	ROUND	RESULT	VENUE	CROWD
1989	Round 9	BNE 36-2	SFS	7426
2020	Round 4	SYD 59-0	Suncorp	0

NEXT FOUR MATCHES​

	Round 2	Round 3	Round 4	Round 5
SYDNEY	PEN (A)	WAR (A)	GLD (H)	SOU (A)
BRISBANE	CAN (A)	NQL (H)	DOL (A)	WST (H)

 

[Woody90]

Roosters season could be over in R1 because I’m seeing 50 getting put on them here.

 

[This Year?]

Two well liked clubs for the neutrals to feast their eyes upon for the opening game in Australia.
Channel 9 must be rubbing their hands together in glee at the ratings this will get.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Roosters season could be over in R1 because I’m seeing 50 getting put on them here.

Not true, Buzz says the Broncs aren't making the finals:

https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/means-absolutely-nothing-bold-broncos-call-sparks-heated-debate/news-story/92a3433c324465a309d2ab70d19bb068

And Gordie says they'd be favourites if Kevvie was still the coach! You have to admire ol dum dum Tallis' loyalty, if nothing else

 

[Woody90]

Not true, Buzz says the Broncs aren't making the finals:

https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/means-absolutely-nothing-bold-broncos-call-sparks-heated-debate/news-story/92a3433c324465a309d2ab70d19bb068

And Gordie says they'd be favourites if Kevvie was still the coach! You have to admire ol dum dum Tallis' loyalty, if nothing else

Wow…

 

[soc123_au]

They should play this in the cyclone. Move it a bit North to a park on the Sunshine Coast to be sure, preferably a field with lots of powerlines running overhead.

Broncos by category 7.

 

[Munky]

Not sure if this pic is from flooding or the QLD fans just using it as a giant toilet.

 

[Fangs]

Was going to predict 85 nil to the Broncos but bit of rain about.

I think a 30-6 result is in order.

 

[JamesRustle]

NRL keeping Spencer away from Mam by suspending them both is a bit of overkill.

Broncos 13+

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Not sure if this pic is from flooding or the QLD fans just using it as a giant toilet.

View attachment 99390

I still feel like my team would lose 24-0 on that pitch

 

[Vic Mackey]

Dont think it will be the thrashing most seem to be predicting. Brisbane's second row/centres are pretty ordinary and with it being a wet track Madge will have them playing a very basic brand of footy. That Roosters middle/bench is ordinary though, and lets not get started of their halves

Brisbane by 10.

 

[mozza91]

Not true, Buzz says the Broncs aren't making the finals:

https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/means-absolutely-nothing-bold-broncos-call-sparks-heated-debate/news-story/92a3433c324465a309d2ab70d19bb068

And Gordie says they'd be favourites if Kevvie was still the coach! You have to admire ol dum dum Tallis' loyalty, if nothing else

3 cheers for the Broncos for being only the 2nd team ever (after the 2020 Chooks) to have injuries.

 

[Big Pete]

I expect the Broncos to keep it tight. They'll rely heavily on Haas, Carrigan, Hetherington and Willison to drive it up middle and target the Roosters edges later in the sets. I expect it to be fairly aimless and unless they can jag an early try I can't see them scoring any points until 20 or so minutes in.

Brisbane still have a lot of questions to answer. The general vibe is that 2024 was the reality check the club needed to move on from Kevie and hire a 'serious' coach. So with that sorted, they'll get back on track but it's never that simple and I just wonder if Hunt and Reynolds are up to the job and whether Shibasaki and Gosiewski can really do a job. On paper, it's the worst looking edge in the competition.

The key will be their defence and whether they can turn the Roosters away. The Roosters won't have as much variety to their attack but they still have a lot of familiar combinations so the key will be Crichton and Radley. If Crichton is able to replicate his 2024 form, that alone could carry the Roosters.

What's the feeling down in Sydney @Valheru? I'm getting a 2016 vibe where it seems like Robbo has one eye on next season already. However there's a lot more experience in this team than the 2016 counter-part, would it be fair to say this is more like a 2021 campaign?

 

[Babyface O'reilly]

I have 2016 vibes about the Roosters too

 

[Valheru]

I expect the Broncos to keep it tight. They'll rely heavily on Haas, Carrigan, Hetherington and Willison to drive it up middle and target the Roosters edges later in the sets. I expect it to be fairly aimless and unless they can jag an early try I can't see them scoring any points until 20 or so minutes in.

Brisbane still have a lot of questions to answer. The general vibe is that 2024 was the reality check the club needed to move on from Kevie and hire a 'serious' coach. So with that sorted, they'll get back on track but it's never that simple and I just wonder if Hunt and Reynolds are up to the job and whether Shibasaki and Gosiewski can really do a job. On paper, it's the worst looking edge on paper.

The key will be their defence and whether they can turn the Roosters away. The Roosters won't have as much variety to their attack but they still have a lot of familiar combinations so the key will be Crichton and Radley. If Crichton is able to replicate his 2024 form, that alone could carry the Roosters.

What's the feeling down in Sydney @Valheru? I'm getting a 2016 vibe where it seems like Robbo has one eye on next season already. However there's a lot more experience in this team than the 2016 counter-part, would it be fair to say this is more like a 2021 campaign?

Yes I don't think anyone feels we are a legit chance this year but I also don't think we will bottom out like 2016 although with a couple more injuries it is possible.

More like 2021 where they will beat the shit teams but get nowhere close to the good teams. Depending on how many teams make the latter category will determine if we make the 8.

2026 they will have a much better shot.

In regards to your mob, I'm firmly in the camp of needing to see it to believe it. The popular train of thought is that a bounce back to 2023 is a certainty purely because they have a new coach but as you say these things are never so straight forward so we will see.

 

[chrisD]

I do think it'll be the widely predicted thrashing.

Is Paix really better than Walters?

 

[Fangs]

I'm excited for this one.

 

[Comfy]

They should play this in the cyclone. Move it a bit North to a park on the Sunshine Coast to be sure, preferably a field with lots of powerlines running overhead.

Broncos by category 7.

melbourne as well, double header

 

[Someguy]

I do think it'll be the widely predicted thrashing.

Is Paix really better than Walters?

I was thinking Mozer was better than both of them.

Butcher out replaced at lock by Wong, injury or the coach continuing to hate on Butcher?

 

[Big Pete]

I do think it'll be the widely predicted thrashing.

Is Paix really better than Walters?

If there was one position Madge could tinker with, it was hooker. Due to some really poor roster management, the Broncos ended up with five dummy halves so it was the one spot they could afford to pick on form.

Paix was highly rated in the juniors but has never been able to take his opportunity in first grade. He'll want to improve his quality of service from the Bulldogs game and back himself when an opportunity presents.

It would have been interesting to see if Billy would have been dropped altogether if Mozer was fit. Mozer was one of the stand-outs of the pre-season and had he not injured his shoulder I could easily see him as the 14.

He's currently off contract too. If he's able to string some good performances together, the Broncos will be in trouble.