The game between Rabbitohs and Dolphins has been moved from Brisbane to Sydney. Photo: ANDREW KACIMAIWAI
The staggered opening round of the 2025 NRL season continued yesterday when the Brisbane Broncos travelled to Sydney and thumped the Roosters 50-14.
The Roosters lost the services of Luke Keary, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Joseph Manu and Joseph Suaalii, while Sam Walker and Brandon Smith are out with long-term injuries.
The full-time score is the Broncos’s biggest against the Roosters and is the ideal start for coach Michael Maguire.
The Broncos ran in nine tries in a dominant display after they led 12-4 at halftime.
Debutant Robert Toia made 140 metres and broke five tackles as he made a name for himself.
Veteran Broncos playmakers Ben Hunt and Adam Reynolds have put their rivals on notice by predicting their combination will only improve, according to NRL.com.au.
Hunt, who returned to Brisbane after seven years with the Dragons, and Reynolds only trained together for three weeks and played alongside each other for just 40 minutes in the pre-season.
The two have played more than 600 NRL matches between them, according to NRL.com.au
The Broncos boarded a charter flight to Toowoomba after the game for an early return to Brisbane to be with their families as Tropical Cyclone Alfred closes in on the city.
INJURIES
England international Victor Radley joined a growing Roosters casualty list after suffering a head knock in yesterday’s game.
He is due to miss next Friday night’s match against Penrith after he was helped from the field in the 14th minute after a head clash with team-mate James Tedesco.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson revealed after the match that second-rower Nat Butcher and rookie prop De La Salle Va’a had been in hospital and would not be available for the game against the Panthers and possibly the game after that as well.
The Raiders beat the Warriors 30-8 and the Panthers beat the Sharks 28-22 in Las Vegas last weekend to open the NRL season.
FIXTURES
Other round one games this weekend are (host team first):
Friday, March 7, Tigers vs Knights; Rabbitohs vs Dolphins (rescheduled due to TC Alfred).
Saturday, March 8: Dragons vs Bulldogs, Sea Eagles vs Cowboys.
Sunday, March 9: Storm vs Eels.
Bye: Gold Coast Titans.
