After the bright lights of Las Vegas the opening round of the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership continued at Allianz Stadium as the Roosters and Broncos squared off in a Thursday night blockbuster.
The Roosters enter the new season with a vastly different roster following the departures of Luke Keary, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Joseph Manu and Joseph Suaalii, while long-term injuries to Sam Walker and Brandon Smith robs them of two of their most dangerous attacking weapons.
The Broncos were hoping the class of Reece Walsh and the composure of Ben Hunt and Adam Reynolds could guide them to a victory in Michael Maguire's first game at the helm and what they produced was a nine-try spectacular to give their fans fresh hope for 2025.
Follow all the action from Round 1 of the 2025 Telstra Premiership on NRL.com's live blog.
Roosters v Broncos at Allianz Stadium
Roosters v Broncos – Round 1, 2025
Match: Roosters v Broncos
Round 1 -
home Team
Roosters
16th Position
away Team
Broncos
2nd Position
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Broncos: Round 1
Roosters: Round 1
Next week: The Broncos head to Canberra to take on fellow Round 1 winners the Raiders, while Trent Robinson's men face a tough task against defending premiers the Panthers at CommBank Stadium. Victor Radley is in doubt for that game after he was judged a Category 1 head knock.
Full-time: The final score of 50-14 is the Broncos' biggest ever tally against the Roosters and kick starts the Michael Maguire era in grand style. Led by Payne Haas (15 runs for 165 metres and nine tackle breaks) and Pat Carrigan (25 runs for 246 metres) the Broncos run in nine tries in a dominant display. Debutant Robert Toia made 140 metres and broke five tackles in an impressive display for the Roosters.
75 min: Veteran No.7 Chad Townsend links with Robert Toia who puts Dom Young over in the corner and Sandon Smith converts to make it 50-14.
72 min: After finally getting on to the field for his first action, Brendan Piakura is sent to the sin bin for a professional foul.
Selwyn Cobbo 3rd Try
71 min: Slick hands to the right side featuring Adam Reynolds, Reece Walsh and Deine Mariner culminates with Selwyn Cobbo diving in to complete his sixth career hat-trick. Reynolds misses the conversion but the Broncos have a half-century for the first time since Round 24, 2023 against the Eels.
67 min: Another kick, another try! Adam Reynolds launches one across field which Gehamat Shibasaki taps down to Billy Walters who fires a superb long ball out to Jesse Arthars for try number eight. Reynolds adds the extras from wide left for a 46-8 lead.
Sandon Smith Try
59 min: Zach Dockar-Clay gets out of dummy half and puts Sandon Smith over the Roosters' second try. Smith pushes the conversion wide. 40-8.
57 min: Reece Walsh joins the party after taking the final pass from Jesse Arthars and producing the Superman dive for his first try of the season. Adam Reynolds misses a second straight conversion to leave the score at an imposing 40-4.
Ben Hunt Try
54 min: A stunner from the Broncos after running the ball on the last tackle with the attack sweeping from the right side to the left and several players handling twice before Ben Hunt slides over in the corner. 36-4.
51 min: The Roosters lose their captain's challenge after Taylor Losalu spills the ball in a tackle and they unsuccessfully challenge the call of knock on.
Selwyn Cobbo 2nd Try
48 min: A second try in the space of four minutes to Selwyn Cobbo after Adam Reynolds crabs across field and gets a kick into the in goal which evades Deine Mariner and Daniel Tupou before Cobbo swoops on the scraps. With Reynolds' fifth conversion it's 32-4.
47 min: Roosters back-rower Angus Crichton is placed on report for late contact on Ben Hunt after the Broncos playmaker had kicked the ball.
Selwyn Cobbo Try
44 min: After the Roosters go close at one end it's the Broncos who grab the first try of the second half after Deine Mariner kicks ahead on the last tackle, Adam Reynolds toes it ahead and Selwyn Cobbo gets his left foot to the ball and bends down to scoop it up and score. Reynolds converts to make it 26-4.
Half-time: The Broncos had 57 per cent of the ball and completed 19 of 22 sets to dominate the opening stanza. Pat Carrigan racked up 163 run metres from 16 runs and Reece Walsh made 120 metres for the Broncos while Naufahu Whyte, Lindsay Collins and Connor Watson made 81 tackles between them as the Roosters tried to stem the tide.
40 min: A late shot at points for the Roosters but James Tedesco's grubber into the in goal is easily cleaned up the Broncos who take a 16-point lead into the sheds.
34 min: A mistake by Sandon Smith bringing the ball out of his own end puts the Roosters under more pressure and with their defence stretched they concede an offside penalty. Adam Reynolds helps himself to two more points for a 20-4 lead.
29 min: Payne Haas gets his first break of the night after a stunning opening that saw him run for 104 metres from nine runs and four tackle breaks.
Jack Gosiewski Try
25 min: The Broncos cash in on another trip to the Red Zone when Pat Carrigan goes to the line and picks up Jack Gosiewski who plunges over for his 15th career try. Another simple conversion for Reynolds and it's 18-4 to Michael Maguire's men.
How have they not scored there!
22 min: James Tedesco denies the Broncos what looked like a certain try when he manages to get a hand to a Reece Walsh pass and Chad Townsend cleans up but an immediate mistake by Blake Steep puts the Roosters back under the pump.
Cory Paix Try
20 min: Cory Paix gets out of dummy half from 10 metres out and finds a rampaging Payne Haas who gets brilliant offload back to the hooker for the Broncos' second try. Adam Reynolds converts for a 12-4 lead.
Gehamat Shibasaki Try
15 min: The Broncos hit back when Ben Hunt cuts out a player and puts Jesse Arthars into space before the winger turns the ball back inside for Gehamat Shibasaki to score. Adam Reynolds adds the extras for a 6-4 lead.
13 min: Kobe Hetherington gets into the back field for the Broncos and in a desperate attempt to chase him down, Roosters duo Victor Radley and James Tedesco clash heads. Radley leaves the field for a HIA and during the stoppage Lindsay Collins has a facial cut cleaned up. Radley will miss the rest of the game after being ruled a Category 1 head knock.
Dominic Young Try
7 min: A stunner from the Roosters to post their first try of 2024 with debutant Robert Toia stepping past Ben Hunt and then picking up Dom Young to touch down in the corner. Sandon Smith's conversion attempt hits the upright. Roosters 4-0.
Broncos mean business early
1 min: A mistake in the opening set by Lindsay Collins puts the Roosters under early pressure but their defence stands firm.
Late Mail: After Nat Butcher dropped out of the side on Wednesday and was replaced by Siua Wong, there were no further changes for the Roosters an hour before kick-off. Butcher was due to play his 150th NRL game but that milestone goes on hold. The Broncos are 1-17 with no late changes.
"I think we do debuts really well in the NRL now, the families come in and a lot of lifelong dreams are handed out this week," said Roosters coach Trent Robinson of debutants Robert Toia, Taylor Losalu and Salesi Foketi.
"I've always liked hard work and the players have shown that, every single one of them actually right across the whole squad," said Broncos coach Michael Maguire. "One thing I've learned about Reecey [Walsh] is he's all about the team. He's a real team man and he just wants to be part of what makes a successful team."
