Matchday Details
Friday, 20 March 2026 – 6:00pm AEDT – Allianz Stadium, Sydney
📺 Kayo / Foxtel
Referee: Grant Atkins | Senior Review Official: Wyatt Raymond
Sydney Roosters: 1. James Tedesco, 2. Daniel Tupou, 3. Fetalaiga Pauga, 4. Robert Toia, 5. Mark Nawaqanitawase, 6. Daly Cherry-Evans, 7. Sam Walker, 8. Naufahu Whyte, 9. Reece Robson, 10. Lindsay Collins, 11. Angus Crichton, 12. Siua Wong, 13. Egan Butcher, 14. Connor Watson, 15. Blake Steep, 16. Nat Butcher, 17. Salesi Foketi, 18. Cody Ramsey, 19. Benaiah Ioelu, 20. Toby Rodwell, 21. Tom Rodwell, 22. Taylor Losalu
Penrith Panthers: 1. Dylan Edwards, 2. Thomas Jenkins, 3. Paul Alamoti, 4. Casey McLean, 5. Brian To’o, 6. Blaize Talagi, 7. Nathan Cleary (c), 8. Moses Leota, 9. Mitch Kenny, 10. Lindsay Smith, 11. Isaiah Papali’i, 12. Liam Martin, 13. Isaah Yeo, 14. Freddy Lussick, 15. Billy Phillips, 16. Scott Sorensen, 17. Luke Garner, 18. Izack Tago, 19. Kalani Going, 20. Tom Ale, 21. Jack Cole, 22. Jesse McLean
Match Preview
Sydney’s east meets its west in a Friday night blockbuster in Round 3.
The Sydney Roosters bounced back from a poor showing in the opening round to down arch-rivals South Sydney in Round 2, while the Penrith Panthers strangled the life out of Cronulla to go two wins from two.
There’s just one change for the Roosters following their victory over the Rabbitohs, with Reece Robson named to make his club debut after breaking his hand in the pre-season, becoming Rooster number 1247. Benaiah Ioelu drops to the extended bench.
Liam Martin returns to the Panthers line-up for the first time in 2026 having recovered from a calf injury, pushing Luke Garner to the bench and Kalani Going to 19th man. Jack Cogger is out following a failed HIA in Round 2, with his spot on the bench being taken by Freddy Lussick, who was an unused replacement in the Panthers first two victories. Izack Tago is again named as 18th man and will play his 100th first-grade game if he takes the field.
After a disappointing start to his Roosters career, Daly Cherry-Evans showed why he was brought to the club in Round 2, scoring a try early and taking control of the game when it was tight, ultimately setting up the match-winning try for James Tedesco. With Nathan Cleary calmly controlling things for the Panthers, Cherry-Evans and Sam Walker will need to be at their best for the Roosters to claim their second win of the season.
While the other 16 teams have been conceding points at high rates in the opening two rounds, the same can’t be said of Penrith, who got through the first 137 minutes of their season before conceding their only try to date. The Panthers are conceding an average of three points per game, with the next best (Storm and Warriors) conceding 12 points per game. They also have the fewest missed tackles per game (25.5).
The battle of the forwards will be key to deciding the outcome of this match. Roosters prop Lindsay Collins was back in form against the Rabbitohs and he and Naufahu Whyte will need to be at their best if they are to take down Moses Leota and Lindsay Smith. New South Wales hopeful Mitch Kenny will get the chance to press his State of Origin claims when he and Reece Robson go head-to-head.
The Panthers have dominated this fixture in recent years, winning 11 of the past 12 matches between the two teams, with an average winning margin of 17.18 over that time. Results were split one each last year, with the Roosters claiming a 38-32 win at Commbank Stadium in Round 2 before the Panthers bounced back with a 40-12 win at Allianz Stadium in Round 7. The Panthers have won all three of their games at Allianz Stadium, scoring 30 points and conceding just 11 on average.
This game should be relatively tight and low-scoring. The Panthers will look to grind the Roosters down as they did against Brisbane and Cronulla. If they do, the Roosters poor discipline could hurt them, allowing for the visitors to make it three wins in a row to start the season.
Prediction
RLZ Tip: Panthers by 8
Bold call: Nathan Cleary to score one try and set two others up.
Related
- NRL Round 3 Hub
- NRL Round 3 2026 Predictions & Tips
- NRL Round 3 Team Lists – 2026 Season
- NRL 2026 Results Tracker
- 2026 NRL Match Review Results Tracker: Charges, Suspensions & Fines
- NRL Injury List 2026
