Matchday Details
Saturday, 16 May 2026 – 5:30pm AEST – Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
📺 Kayo / Foxtel
Referee: Todd Smith | Senior Review Official: Liam Kennedy
Sydney Roosters: 1. James Tedesco (c), 2. Daniel Tupou, 3. Hugo Savala, 4. Robert Toia, 5. Cody Ramsey, 6. Daly Cherry-Evans, 7. Sam Walker, 8. Naufahu Whyte, 9. Reece Robson, 10. Lindsay Collins, 11. Angus Crichton, 12. Siua Wong, 13. Connor Watson, 14. Egan Butcher, 15. Spencer Leniu, 16. Nat Butcher, 17. Salesi Foketi, 18. Fetalaiga Pauga, 19. Reece Foley, 20. Benaiah Ioelu, 21. Taylor Losalu, 22. Junior Tupou
North Queensland Cowboys: 1. Scott Drinkwater, 2. Braidon Burns, 3. Jaxon Purdue, 4. Tom Chester, 5. Zac Laybutt, 6. Liam Sutton, 7. Jake Clifford, 8. Thomas Mikaele, 9. Reed Mahoney, 10. Matthew Lodge, 11. Heilum Luki, 12. Sam McIntyre, 13. Reuben Cotter (c), 14. Xavier Kerrisk, 15. Griffin Neame, 16. Robert Derby, 17. Coen Hess, 18. Wiremu Greig, 19. Ethan King, 20. Viliami Vailea, 21. Mason Kira, 22. Mason Barber
Match Preview
A tantalising Magic Round match-up awaits at 5:30pm on Saturday evening when the third-placed Sydney Roosters take on the seventh-placed North Queensland Cowboys.
The Roosters will be keen to keep pace with the Panthers and Warriors at the top of the table, while the Cowboys are one of four teams on 12 points, two points outside the top four but two points inside the top eight.
There are minimal changes for the Roosters to the side that beat Gold Coast on Friday night, with Lindsay Collins returning from a head knock, pushing Spencer Leniu back to the bench. Connor Watson moves from the bench to lock forward with Victor Radley suspended. Townsville-born five-eighth Reece Foley has been included on the extended bench and is a chance of a first grade debut.
Todd Payten’s Cowboys don’t have quite the same luxury, with co-captain Tom Dearden sidelined for six to eight weeks with a syndesmosis injury, Soni Luke out for at least a month with an MCL injury, and Jason Taumalolo being rested. Liam Sutton and Xavier Kerrisk will both make their first grade debuts on Saturday, named at five-eighth and the interchange respectively. Jake Clifford moves to halfback and Matt Lodge to the front row. Robert Derby has been named on the bench and could make his first NRL appearance of the season. Former Eel Wiremu Greig and former Rooster Ethan King have also been included on the extended bench and could make their club debuts.
It was far from pretty, but the Roosters’ 28-12 win over the Titans was their sixth in a row and has solidified their spot in the top four. James Tedesco was at his brilliant best at the back as he chases a New South Wales return, while the partnership in the halves between Sam Walker and Daly Cherry-Evans continues to grow.
It was heartbreak for the Cowboys on Friday night, giving up a 30-22 lead late in Taumalolo’s record-breaking 295th club game to fall 33-30 in Golden Point, missing a chance to move to equal fourth in the process. They now go from celebrating their most experienced player to their two least experienced.
Sutton is a Thirlmere-Tahmoor Roosters junior who attended famous rugby league school St Gregory’s Campbelltown before stints at Wests, Cronulla, Newcastle, and Wynnum-Manly prior to moving to North Queensland at the start of 2026. A big, powerful half, Sutton has a strong step, a smart kicking game and a tackle efficiency of over 90% in his Queensland Cup career.
Kerrisk is a 20-year-old hooker from the Walkerston Wanderers in Mackay. He has great vision and has already scored three tries for the Mackay Cutters this season. He makes plenty of metres from dummy-half and is always busy in defence.
Poor discipline from the Roosters early against the Titans had them under pressure before running away with the game late. In the end, the Cowboys’ discipline was arguably what let them down in their loss to the Eels, making 18 errors to six and conceding four penalties to nil. Both teams will be keen to improve in order to bank two important points on the table ahead of Origin.
The Roosters have traditionally dominated this match-up, winning 32 of their 46 matches to date, including six of the past eight. The two sides have met twice at Magic Round, with the Roosters winning in 2021 before the Cowboys claimed a 20-6 victory in 2023.
Prediction
RLZ Tip: Roosters by eight
Bold call: Sam Walker to produce the magic with a chip-and-chase try.
Related
- NRL Round 10 Review
- NRL Round 11 Predictions
- NRL Round 11 Team Lists
- NRL Round 11 Hub
- NRL Injury List
- NRL Match Review Tracker
- Magic Round Historical Stats
