Sixteen NRL clubs are gearing up for the opening round of the 2025 NRL season as Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas hosts the opening match for the second consecutive year.
Several new recruits will be on show for different clubs in Round 1, including Clinton Gutherson (Dragons), Jarome Luai (Tigers), and Zac Lomax (Eels).
Meanwhile, the Brisbane Broncos are set to make a positional change involving one of their star players.
Canberra Raiders vs New Zealand Warriors
Kicking off the first match of the 2025 NRL season, all eyes will be on Ricky Stuart and whether or not he names any of the young players brought into the squad, such as Ethan Sanders, Savelio Tamale, and Noah Martin, among others.
Winger Albert Hopoate will not travel to Las Vegas due to personal reasons, allowing Savelio Tamale to take the vacant wing spot over Jed Stuart and Michael Asomua.
Despite battling a calf injury during the pre-season, Zac Hosking is set to feature in Round 1 and is looking to take on Las Vegas by storm, per The Canberra Times.
Meanwhile, Kaeo Weekes's impressive pre-season is poised to see him once again take the No.1 jersey ahead of 2024 U19s State of Origin Man of the Match Chevy Stewart.
Young hooker Owen Pattie is a chance to make his first-grade debut but is likely to be held back for a bit, with Stuart opting to go with the combination of Danny Levi and Tom Starling.
Projected Round 1 team: 1. Kaeo Weekes 2. Savelio Tamale 3. Matthew Timoko 4. Sebastian Kris 5. Xavier Savage 6. Ethan Strange 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Josh Papalii 9. Danny Levi 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Zac Hosking 13. Morgan Smithies 14. Tom Starling 15. Corey Horsburgh 16. Matty Nicholson 17. Trey Mooney
Ahead of their match in Las Vegas, the Warriors have already suffered a disastrous blow with winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak ruled out of the contest.
After head coach Andrew Webster revealed two weeks ago that Watene-Zelezniak was set to be on the sidelines until Round 6, the club has confirmed that he will spend even more time out with injury and will return in Round 10 at the earliest.
Watene-Zelezniak's absence opens up the door for Taine Tuaupiki who is set to be handed the vacant spot on the wing after filling in at fullback last year for Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad.
Rocco Berry (shoulder) also remains in the casualty ward and is improving after suffering from a brachial plexus injury.
โIt's another string to his bow. That way it gives us more depth and another option,โ said Webster via the NZ Herald.
โWe've got a headache in the next two weeks to work out what we do there. Attacking-wise, he's a great player. It's just positionally for him, I reckon, he'd find it hard.
โThat's probably the second time he's done it in his life. He's gone from the halves to fullback when he was younger. Now he's on the right wing for the Warriors in the NRL. Positionally, he learned a lot, he was in good spots and he'll get even better for it.โ
The NZ Herald also reports that Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will slot into the other wing spot and transition from the centres.
Projected Round 1 team: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Taine Tuaupiki 3. Adam Pompey 4. Ali Leiataua 5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 6. Te Maire Martin 7. Luke Metcalf 8. James Fisher-Harris 9. Wayde Egan 10. Mitchell Barnett 11. Marata Niukore 12. Kurt Capewell 13. Erin Clark 14. Dylan Walker 15. Jackson Ford 16. Tom Ale 17. Bunty Afoa
