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.
Wests Tigers vs Newcastle Knights
For the first time in his NRL career, Jarome Luai will lace up the boots for another team other than the Penrith Panthers, while recruits Sunia Turuva, Jeral Skelton, Terrell May, Royce Hunt and Jack Bird are all set to make their club debuts.
Co-captain Apisai Koroisau remains suspended for the opening round so he won't take the field and will be replaced by young gun Tallyn Da Silva who captained the club in their first pre-season match against the Canterbury Bulldogs.
His elevation to the No.9 jersey will open up a spot for Latu Fainu on the interchange bench.
Star fullback Jahream Bula is also racing the clock to be fit. Heath Mason will slot into the No.1 jersey if he is unavailable.
“We'll see about round one,” Bula told The Sydney Morning Herald.
“Everything went well with the surgery. I've been doing my rehab the past six months. I'm getting closer. I started full contact last week.
“‘Moose' [Tigers head of performance Peter Moussa] has been good, he's really strengthened it, and he doesn't like to bring players back too early.
“I copped a knock last week; Samuela came flying in with his shoulders. He's too strong.
“It was nothing serious – I didn't need scans – but I'll need to do another test next week before round one.”
Coming off representing the Prime Minister's XIII at the backend of last year, Alex Seyfarth has been training in the starting back-row position (previously held by John Bateman) while Samuela Fainu has been training on the other edge.
Projected Round 1 Team: 1. Jahream Bula 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Justin Olam 4. Adam Doueihi 5. Jeral Skelton 6. Lachlan Galvin 7. Jarome Luai 8. Fonua Pole 9. Tallyn Da Silva 10. Terrell May 11. Alex Seyfarth 12. Samuela Fainu 13. Jack Bird 14. Latu Fainu 15. Sione Fainu 16. Royce Hunt 17. Alex Twal
All reports indicate that Fletcher Sharpe will be handed a spot in the halves with either Jack Cogger or Tyson Gamble as Adam O'Brien continues to deal with the club's halves dilemma.
Sharpe's move into the halves won't be the only selection change with Kalyn Ponga confirming to foxsports.com.au that Tyson Frizell will move from the back-row into the middle of the field this season.
This was seen by the former NSW Blues forward playing at lock against the Parramatta Eels in their opening pre-season trial match.
“He's definitely got the work ethic and football IQ,” Ponga said on SEN radio endorsing Fletcher Sharpe's switch to the halves via Fox Sports.
“Fletch is a natural footy player and he's normally a fullback but he's a pretty handy fullback as well.
"He is someone you want close to the footy because of what he can do with it. It will take some time for him to learn and I'm prepared to be patient with it.
"You want the footy in his hands because he makes things happen and he's just a natural footy player.”
Projected Round 1 Team: 1. Kalyn Ponga 2. James Schiller 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Fletcher Sharpe 7. Tyson Gamble 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Jayden Brailey 10. Leo Thompson 11. Kai Pearce-Paul 12. Dylan Lucas 13. Tyson Frizell 14. Phoenix Crossland 15. Mat Croker 16. Brodie Jones 17. Adam Elliott
