2025 NRL: Round 1 Recap

Check out what happened in round 1 (week 2) of the National Rugby League competition.

Review

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Brisbane, Newcastle, South Sydney, Canterbury-Bankstown, Manly-Warringah, and Melbourne finished NRL round 1 with wins – joining Las Vegas winners Canberra and Penrith. Melbourne (+38 differential) are in first place, followed by Brisbane (+36), Manly (+30), and Canberra (+22).

The Storm extended their opening round streak to 23 wins, running in 10 tries against the Eels at AAMI Park (doubles to Ryan Papenhuyzen and Xavier Coates). The Storm raced the clock in the first half, leading 46-6 at the break.

The Broncos started their “Madge Era” with nine tries against the Roosters at Allianz Stadium (a hat-trick to Selwyn Cobbo).

The Sea Eagles put the Cowboys away early at 4 Pines Park: they led 16-0 after 11 minutes, 24-0 at half-time, and 42-0 after 56 minutes. Reuben Garrick scored 18 points (a try and seven goals).

Three games were decided by under 10 points: Souths beat the Dolphins by two at CommBank Stadium (relocated from Suncorp Stadium because of Cyclone Alfred), Newcastle beat the Wests Tigers by two at Campbelltown Sports Stadium, and Canterbury beat St George-Illawarra by eight at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium: Christian Tuipulotu scored a hat-trick as the Dragons came from 28-6 down but still fell short.

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Results

Brisbane Broncos 50 (Selwyn Cobbo 3, Gehamat Shibasaki, Cory Paix, Jack Gosiewski, Ben Hunt, Reece Walsh, Jesse Arthars, Selwyn Cobbo tries; Adam Reynolds 7 goals) defeated Sydney Roosters 14 (Dominic Young 2, Sandon Smith tries; Sandon Smith goal)

Roosters: 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 15. Siua Wong 14. Zach Dockar-Clay 16. Blake Steep 17. Salesi Foketi 19. Taylor Losalu 18. Hugo Savala

Players cut from final squad: 13. Nat Butcher 20. Ethan King 21. Fetalaiga Pauga 22. Makahesi Makatoa

Broncos: 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

Players cut from final squad: 19. Delouise Hoeter 20. Martin Taupau 21. Benjamin Te Kura 22. Jaiyden Hunt

Referee: Gerard Sutton
Bunker: Chris Butler

Newcastle Knights 10 (Fletcher Sharpe, Greg Marzhew tries; Kalyn Ponga goal) defeated Wests Tigers 8 (Jeral Skelton try; Adam Doueihi 2 goals)

Tigers: 1. Heath Mason 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Adam Doueihi 4. Solomona Faataape 5. Jeral Skelton 6. Lachlan Galvin 7. Jarome Luai 8. Terrell May 14. Tristan Hope 10. Fonua Pole 11. Samuela Fainu 12. Alex Seyfarth 13. Alex Twal 9. Tallyn Da Silva 15. Royce Hunt 16. Jack Bird 17. Sione Fainu 18. Latu Fainu

Players cut from final squad: 19. Charlie Staines 20. Kit Laulilii 21. Tony Sukkar 22. Reuben Porter

Knights: 1. Kalyn Ponga 2. James Schiller 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Fletcher Sharpe 7. Jack Cogger 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Leo Thompson 11. Dylan Lucas 12. Kai Pearce-Paul 13. Tyson Frizell 14. Jayden Brailey 15. Jack Hetherington 16. Brodie Jones 17. Mathew Croker 18. Thomas Cant

Players cut from final squad: 19. Will Pryce 20. Logan Aoake 21. Jackson Hastings 22. Adam Elliott

Referee: Liam Kennedy
Bunker: Kasey Badger

South Sydney Rabbitohs 16 (Tyrone Munro 2, Isaiah Tass tries; Jamie Humphreys 2 goals) defeated Dolphins 14 (Jamayne Isaako 2, Max Plath tries; Jamayne Isaako goal)

Rabbitohs: 1. Jye Gray 2. Isaiah Tass 3. Jack Wighton 4. Campbell Graham 5. Tyrone Munro 6. Cody Walker 7. Jamie Humphreys 8. Sean Keppie 9. Peter Mamouzelos 10. Davvy Moale 11. Keaon Koloamatangi 12. Jai Arrow 13. Lachlan Hubner 14. Jayden Sullivan 15. Siliva Havili 16. Tallis Duncan 17. Tevita Tatola 18. Liam Le Blanc

Players cut from final squad: 19. Fletcher Myers 20. Jacob Host 21. Thomas Fletcher 22. Salesi Ataata

Dolphins: 1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 2. Jamayne Isaako 3. Jake Averillo 4. Herbie Farnworth 5. Junior Tupou 20. Sean O’Sullivan 7. Isaiya Katoa 8. Daniel Saifiti 9. Jeremy Marshall-King 10. Felise Kaufusi 11. Kulikefu Finefeuiaki 12. Max Plath 13. Tom Gilbert 14. Kurt Donoghoe 15. Connelly Lemuelu 17. Ray Stone 19. Josh Kerr 23. Oryn Keeley

Players cut from final squad: 6. Kodi Nikorima 16. Mark Nicholls 18. Kenny Bromwich 21. Harrison Graham 22. Max Feagai

Referee: Adam Gee
Bunker: Ashley Klein

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 28 (Sitili Tupouniua 2, Marcelo Montoya, Blake Wilson, Connor Tracey tries; Matt Burton 4 goals) defeated St George-Illawarra Dragons 20 (Christian Tuipulotu 3, Jacob Liddle tries; Valentine Holmes 2 goals)

Dragons: 1. Clint Gutherson 2. Mathew Feagai 3. Moses Suli 4. Valentine Holmes 5. Christian Tuipulotu 6. Kyle Flanagan 7. Lachlan Ilias 8. Toby Couchman 9. Damien Cook 10. Emre Guler 11. Luciano Leilua 12. Jaydn Su’A 13. Jack de Belin 14. Jacob Liddle 15. Ryan Couchman 16. Raymond Faitala-Mariner 17. Hamish Stewart 18. Dylan Egan

Players cut from final squad: 19. Tyrell Sloan 20. Lyhkan King-Togia 21. Loko Jnr Pasifiki Tonga 22. Tom Eisenhuth

Bulldogs: 1. Connor Tracey 2. Blake Wilson 3. Bronson Xerri 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Matt Burton 7. Toby Sexton 8. Max King 9. Reed Mahoney 21. Daniel Suluka-Fifita 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Jacob Preston 17. Jaeman Salmon 13. Kurt Mann 14. Bailey Hayward 15. Sitili Tupouniua 16. Harry Hayes 19. Blake Taaffe

Players cut from final squad: 10. Samuel Hughes 20. Kurtis Morrin 22. Luke Smith 23. Ratu Rinakama

Referee: Todd Smith
Bunker: Grant Atkins

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 42 (Haumole Olakau’atu, Jason Saab, Ben Trbojevic, Ethan Bullemor, Toafofoa Sipley, Reuben Garrick, Daly Cherry-Evans tries; Reuben Garrick 7 goals) defeated North Queensland Cowboys 12 (Scott Drinkwater, Braidon Burns tries; Thomas Duffy, Scott Drinkwater goals)

Sea Eagles: 1. Tom Trbojevic 2. Jason Saab 3. Tolutau Koula 4. Reuben Garrick 5. Lehi Hopoate 6. Luke Brooks 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Taniela Paseka 9. Jazz Tevaga 10. Siosiua Taukeiaho 11. Haumole Olakau’atu 12. Ben Trbojevic 13. Jake Trbojevic 14. Jake Simpkin 15. Corey Waddell 16. Ethan Bullemor 17. Toafofoa Sipley 18. Clayton Faulalo

Players cut from final squad: 19. Dean Matterson 20. Gordon Chan Kum Tong 21. Jakob Arthur 22. Josh Aloiai

Cowboys: 1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Braidon Burns 3. Jaxon Purdue 4. Viliami Vailea 5. Murray Taulagi 6. Tom Dearden 7. Thomas Duffy 8. Jordan McLean 9. Reece Robson 10. Sam McIntyre 11. John Bateman 12. Jeremiah Nanai 13. Reuben Cotter 14. Karl Lawton 15. Harrison Edwards 16. Griffin Neame 17. Coen Hess 18. Kai O’Donnell

Players cut from final squad: 19. Jake Clifford 20. Thomas Mikaele 21. Jaxson Paulo 22. Jason Taumalolo

Referee: Peter Gough
Bunker: Ashley Klein

Melbourne Storm 56 (Ryan Papenhuyzen 2, Xavier Coates 2, Josh King, Eliesa Katoa, Harry Grant, Nick Meaney, Will Warbrick, Jahrome Hughes tries; Nick Meaney 8 goals) defeated Parramatta Eels 18 (Jake Tago, Will Penisini, Isaiah Iongi tries; Zac Lomax 3 goals)

Storm: 1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. William Warbrick 3. Jack Howarth 4. Nick Meaney 5. Xavier Coates 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Harry Grant 10. Josh King 11. Shawn Blore 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Trent Loiero 14. Tyran Wishart 15. Alec MacDonald 16. Tui Kamikamica 17. Lazarus Vaalepu 18. Grant Anderson

Players cut from final squad: 19. Bronson Garlick 20. Joe Chan 21. Sualauvi Faalogo 22. Kane Bradley

Eels: 1. Isaiah Iongi 2. Sean Russell 3. Viliami Penisini 4. Zac Lomax 5. Jake Tago 6. Dylan Brown 7. Ronald Volkman 8. Joe Ofahengaue 9. Brendan Hands 10. Junior Paulo 11. Jack Williams 12. Kelma Tuilagi 13. J’maine Hopgood 14. Ryley Smith 15. Matt Doorey 17. Charlie Guymer 21. Sam Tuivaiti 20. Toni Mataele

Players cut from final squad: 16. Ryan Matterson 18. Joash Papali’i 19. Jordan Samrani 22. Joey Lussick

Match Review

Angus Crichton (Sydney Roosters), Grade 1 Dangerous Contact. Outcome: Early Guilty Plea – $3000 fine.
Tyson Frizell (Newcastle Knights), Grade 1 Careless High Tackle. Outcome: Early Guilty Plea – $1000 fine.
Kurt Donoghoe (Dolphins), Grade 1 Dangerous Contact. Outcome: Early Guilty Plea – $1800 fine.
Jack Wighton (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Grade 2 Careless High Tackle. Outcome: Early Guilty Plea – 1 match.
Jack Wighton (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Grade 1 Dangerous Contact. Outcome: Early Guilty Plea – $1000 fine.
Mathew Feagai (St George-Illawarra Dragons), Grade 1 Dangerous Contact. Outcome: Early Guilty Plea – $1000 fine.
Emre Guler (St George-Illawarra Dragons), Grade 1 Dangerous Contact. Outcome: Early Guilty Plea – $1800 fine.
Stephen Crichton (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs), Grade 1 Dangerous Contact. Outcome: Early Guilty Plea – $1800 fine.
Jacob Preston (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs), Grade 1 Dangerous Contact. Outcome: Early Guilty Plea – $1000 fine.
Karl Lawton (North Queensland Cowboys), Grade 1 Dangerous Contact. Outcome: Early Guilty Plea – $1000 fine.
Lazarus Vaalepu (Melbourne Storm), Grade 1 Careless High Tackle. Outcome: Early Guilty Plea – $1000 fine.