Who plays who? Predicting Round 1 NRL fixtures for 2025

Who do you want to see your team start 2025 against?

EDITOR | November 13, 2024 - 10:00am

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The NRL draw for 2025 is set to be released next week, and while all the attention will be on Magic Round, rivalry games and the grand final rematch, it's always intriguing to see who draws who in the opening round.

Well, here at Zero Tackle, we thought why bother waiting?

Why not design our own dream Round 1?

We already know that the Canberra Raiders will clash with the New Zealand Warriors, and the Cronulla Sharks will face the Penrith Panthers in Las Vegas to open the season a week before the rest of the teams get onto the field.

But what about those six games in Australia?

Who is going to play who?

With the defending premiers away in Vegas, it's high time to return to the traditional season opener between the Sydney Roosters and South Sydney Rabbitohs at Moore Park.

The NRL's two foundation clubs used to have a Round 1 game like clockwork, and while that has been a final round game combined with another early in the season during recent campaigns, we think it's high time to get the two clubs back in the opening round.

Originally, we had the duo down to play the Friday night game, but now believe that wouldn't work with the AFL confirming the Sydney Swans will open their season next door at the Sydney Cricket Ground on the same night in the AFL.

Given the Swans are playing on that Friday night though, it opens the door for the Melbourne Storm to play one of their biggest games of the year against Queensland rivals the Brisbane Broncos to get their campaign underway on the back of last year's grand final.

That serves as a huge TV game too. The Broncos are a ratings draw even after their poor 2023 season, and a clash against Melbourne always brings plenty out of both sides.

In the other free to air TV game for the opening round, we are pitting two Sydney clubs against each other on Sunday afternoon, with the Manly Sea Eagles to clash with the Canterbury Bulldogs on the Northern Beaches.

It's a rematch of last year's elimination final - one of the best games of the entire finals series it might be added - and a clash between two clubs who have really been able to draw attention and a crowd over the last 12 months.

Elsewhere, we are sending the St George Illawarra Dragons to Townsville for a clash against the North Queensland Cowboys on the first Saturday night of the season, the Dolphins to Sydney to clash with Jason Ryles and the Parramatta Eels in the Friday 6pm game, and the Wests Tigers up the freeway to play the Newcastle Knights in their opening game of the year.

The three games will be highlighted by Valentine Holmes' immediate return to Townsville, Kristian Woolf's debut as head coach against Jason Ryles' debut as head coach and the start of Jarome Luai's era at the Tigers away against one of the toughest road trips in the NRL.

By extension, that leaves the Gold Coast Titans with the bye.