Round 1 v NZ

[mightyrooster]

Good looking side. I wonder if Toops and Toia will pull out at the last minute. Someone posted here recently that Hugo mentioned he had a minor ankle problem but should be right to go round 1 but clearly that didn’t work out.

[SamKerrSimp]

Egan Butcher stealing a living from this club it's a joke he's considered above Foketi.

Strong lineup, Nat Butcher will always be in Robbo's strongest 13 and I can't disagree with it.

[SamKerrSimp]

Surprised to see Pauga in the19, his trial form was awful.

tbf the rest of our outside back depth are beyond awful that wouldn't get a run at any other team Pauga is just there by default

[nayfo]

Strong side named.

I know it’s over there but our squad is stacked compared to the Wahs. I don’t think it will be a walk in the park but definitely see us coming out on top.

Chooks 24-16

[Bates]

I can't wait to see what we've got,

Stoked Toops and Toia are back!

[David Sutherland]

The Warriors are a fair side so the Roosters will need to play well to beat them across the ditch. - No rain predicted at least

[Chook2]

Not to many surprises
- good to see toia and toops back but with 3 outside backs in the wider squad plus 18-19 backs maybe they are not certain to start
- Foketi unlucky to miss out
- only rads and Robson out of the best 17 with Ioelu and either Wong or Egan holding their spots
- nsw cup side missing Savala and Elliot otherwise near full strength
- makata is in the nsw cup side
- magele in nsw cup side and Seve in 19s (no toia and Uini as props)

warriors missing Barnett, niukora, Martin and metcalf

will be a tough game over there
chooks by 6

[milanja]

tbf the rest of our outside back depth are beyond awful that wouldn't get a run at any other team Pauga is just there by default

True, but I don’t even think he was the best of a bad bunch.

[Vasco]

Old mate Robbo loves the Butcher boys. Wong lucky too. Foketi very UNLUCKY.

No excuses, Robbo has his Cooper Cronk v2.

Let's go CHOOKS !!

To be fair our defence is much stronger when Nat is on the field.

And flipper hands Egan was one of our best in the back end of last season.

I can see why he likes them both.

[Bates]

tbf the rest of our outside back depth are beyond awful that wouldn't get a run at any other team Pauga is just there by default

Would you spend $400k to $500k on a back up outside back and would they be happy playing cup?

That's the going rate if you want depth better than what we already have.

[Vasco]

Pauga should be number 39, not 19. He's not a first grade player.

[A Country Member]

Warriors team:
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
9. Wayde Egan
10. Jackson Ford
11. Kurt Capewell
12. Jacob Laban
13. Erin Clark

14. Samuel 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

From Fox League

Analysis: Despite injury concerns, both Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (hamstring) and five-eighth Chanel Harris-Tavita (calf) have been named. Titans recruit Alofiana Khan-Pereira has been named on the extended bench, while Marata Niukore is still out with a calf injury. Tanah Boyd has been named in the No.7 jersey, while Ali Leiataua has won a spot in the centres. In the back row, Jacob Laban gets the nod over Leka Halasima, who has been named on the pine while Kurt Capewell slots into the other edge role. Super League recruit Morgan Gannon has been named on the extended bench.

Crucial calls: Leka Halasima enjoyed a breakout season in 2025, and rightfully so, many considered him a certainty to progress to a regular starting spot this year. But Andrew Webster had other ideas, instead promoting a fellow rising star Jacob Laban into the back row. While this could be considered a blow for Halasima, it’s far from it. Instead, the young gun could be deployed in the forwards or in the backline, with the ability to play in the centres.

[Bates]

Funny thing is Bellamy turns guys like Pauga into reasonable players whilst paying them peanuts.

This is his real strength which enables them to spend big on their spine!

[Bates]

Whyte v JFH

Bring it on!

[Easts75]

Their 6 & 7 are bog average at best. If our middle are up for it we win comfortably