Matchday Details
Friday, 6 March 2026 – 6:00pm (AEDT) – Go Media Stadium, Auckland
📺 Kayo / Foxtel
Referee: Wyatt Raymond | Senior Review Official: Chris Butler
New Zealand Warriors: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3. Ali Leiataua, 4. Adam Pompey, 5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7. Tanah Boyd, 8. James Fisher-Harris (c), 9. Wayde Egan, 10. Jackson Ford, 11. Kurt Capewell, 12. Jacob Laban, 13. Erin Clark, 14. Sam Healey, 15. Demitric Vaimauga, 16. Leka Halasima, 17. Tanner Stowers-Smith, 18. Taine Tuaupiki, 20. Morgan Gannon, 21. Alofiana Khan-Pereira, 22. Luke Hanson, 23. Eddie Ieremia-Toeava
Sydney Roosters: 1. James Tedesco (c), 2. Daniel Tupou, 3. Billy Smith, 4. Robert Toia, 5. Mark Nawaqanitawase, 6. Daly Cherry-Evans, 7. Sam Walker, 8. Naufahu Whyte, 9. Benaiah Ioelu, 10. Lindsay Collins, 11. Angus Crichton, 12. Nat Butcher, 13. Blake Steep, 14. Connor Watson, 15. Siua Wong, 16. Egan Butcher, 17. Spencer Leniu, 18. Cody Ramsey, 19. Fetalaiga Pauga, 20. Salesi Foketi, 21. Tommy Talau, 22. Toby Rodwell
Match Preview
Rugby league is finally back properly for 2026 and the first Friday of the season has served up an intriguing battle between the Warriors and Roosters.
Despite both being eliminated from the opening week of the 2025 finals, the two teams experienced very different fortunes, with the Warriors enjoying a strong start to the season before being hurt by injuries, while the Roosters started slowly as a result of injuries and inexperience before finding form late in the season.
The Warriors enter season 2026 with plenty of injury concerns, with Luke Metcalf and Mitch Barnett both unavailable due to ACL injuries that ended their 2025 campaigns. The New Zealanders also enter round one with Marata Niukore (calf) and Te Maire Martin (broken leg) in the casualty ward, however there is good news with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (hamstring) and Chanel Harris-Tavita (calf) fit to take their places in the side.
After finishing 2025 winning player of the match awards in both the NSW Cup Grand Final and State Championship, Tanah Boyd has been entrusted with their halfback jersey to start the season. He makes up part of an experienced starting 13 that also features big names such as Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad at fullback, Kurt Capewell in the back row, and a front row of James Fisher-Harris, Wayde Egan, and Jackson Ford. The bench features a greater variety of youth, headlined by Leka Halasima, Sam Healey, and Demitric Vaimauga, along with English recruit Morgan Gannon.
All eyes will be on the Roosters halves, particularly the combination between halfback Sam Walker and big-name recruit Daly Cherry-Evans. The Roosters’ other notable recruit, Reece Robson, broke his hand late in the pre-season, allowing young gun Benaiah Ioelu the chance to start at hooker. Nat Butcher has been named to make his return from injury in the back row, while Blake Steep has earned the lock spot with Victor Radley suspended. Connor Watson and Spencer Leniu headline a bench that also features new recruit Cody Ramsey, aiming to play his first first grade game since 2022 following a battle with ulcerative colitis.
The Roosters hold a slight lead in the overall wins count between the two teams (24-23), but they have dominated in recent years, winning eight of the past nine. The Warriors’ lone win in that time came in their most recent meeting, 14-6 at Go Media Stadium in round 3, 2025. The Warriors lost six of their last eight matches at the ground to end 2025, while they have also been kept scoreless by the Roosters there in two of their past three meetings.
Both sides have proven to be slow starters in recent years, with the Warriors winning only two of their past six round 1 matches, while the Roosters have won just four of their past 13 round 1 fixtures.
Prediction
RLZ Tip: Warriors by 6 points.
Bold call: Daly Cherry-Evans to mark his Roosters debut with a try.
Related
- NRL Round 1 (Week 2) 2026 Predictions & Tips
- NRL Round 1 Team Lists – 2026 Season
- NRL 2026 Results Tracker
- 2026 NRL Match Review Results Tracker: Charges, Suspensions & Fines
