Match Report | Round 2

Forward march: Naufahu Whyte (14 runs for 162 metres) and Lindsay Collins (14 runs for 150 metres) were immense for the Roosters while Keaon Koloamatangi and David Fifita combined for 41 runs and 333 metres for Souths.

Full-time: It's Alex Johnston's night but the Roosters have the last laugh as they make amends for a horror loss in Round 1 and open their 2026 account. Senior leaders Daly Cherry-Evans and James Tedesco stood tall for the Roosters as they overcame the distraction of the Johnston celebration to come up with a valuable win over their old rivals.

80 min: The Roosters finish the game in style with Daly Cherry-Evans nudging the ball into the in-goal for James Tedesco to follow through and score. Sam Walker converts. Roosters 26-18.

77 min: The Bunnies make good metres but Latrell Mitchell tries to flick pass to Alex Johnston but it's all too tight up against the sideline and the history maker is bundled into touch.

75 min: A massive play by Latrell Mitchell when he steals the ball one-on-one from Siua Wong but the last-tackle kick is cleaned up expertly by Mark Nawaqanitawase.

73 min: Latrell Mitchell fails to find touch and James Tedesco brings the ball back a long way but Junior Pauga spills a pass on the left edge and the Rabbitohs hang on.

70 min: Jack Wighton dances around Sam Walker and puts a brilliant left-footed grubber in for Campbell Graham to score to put the Rabbitohs right back in it. Latrell Mitchell hooks the conversion left to right and through the sticks. Roosters 20-18.

67 min: Cody Walker throws a wild pass that sails well over Alex Johnston's head and into touch.

63 min: Latrell Mitchell is penalised for rubbish on the face in a tackle and Sam Walker bangs over the goal. Roosters 20-12.

61 min: Another Souths error, this time from Cody Walker, invites the Roosters into great field position.

58 min: David Fifita looks to shovel the ball on to Latrell Mitchell but the centre puts it down and the Roosters bring the ball away.

52 min: James Tedesco and Robert Toia combine to put Mark Nawaqanitwase over in the corner with the winger proving too strong for Jye Gray as he flirts with the sideline before getting it down. Sam Walker nails the conversion from touch. Roosters 18-12.

51 min: James Tedesco and Jye Gray compete for a high ball, the Roosters No.1 comes down with the ball and is tackled by Campbell Graham and loses it. Gray is ruled to have knocked on first.

46 min: Daniel Tupou flies high to tap the ball down to Junior Pauga who is bundled into touch in superb cover by Jack Wighton and Campbell Graham.

42 min: After a 16-minute break while the fans left the field Latrell Mitchell converts the history-making try. 12-12.

41 min: ALEX JOHNSTON SCORES! That's try No.213 for the Rabbitohs' favourite son after a long-range raid down the left side. Johnston is mobbed by fans who take the field to congratulate him. David Fifita broke through and found Cameron Murray who picked up Latrell Mitchell and he sends a perfectly timed pass to Johnston who scoots 40 metres to score his historic four-pointer.

Half-time: The Roosters have the lead and Alex Johnston has a share of the record at the end of an intriguing first half. Keaon Koloamatangi was the leading metre-eater with 136 metres from 15 runs while Lindsay Collins was his usual industrious self with 96 metres from eight runs.

38 min: Daly Cherry-Evans goes looking for a 40-20 but puts the ball out on the full.

31 min: A magical moment as Alex Johnston joins Ken Irvine on 212 career tries after Cody Walker finds Latrell Mitchell who delivers a brilliant flick pass for Johnston to score the try that equals the all-time record. Mitchell converts. Roosters 12-6.

30 min: Jayden Sullivan launches a kick on the last but Daniel Tupou is safe as houses under the high ball. The Roosters go short with the dropout.

27 min: The Roosters go to the left through Lindsay Collins, James Tedesco and Junior Pauga and the ball finds its way to Daniel Tupou, who steps back inside from 12 metres out and the Bunnies all over-read it and he races over for his 184th career try. Sam Walker converts. Roosters 12-0.

26 min: Daly Cherry-Evans dabs the ball into the in-goal, Jye Gray bats it dead, Latrell Mitchell's short dropout sails out on the full and the Roosters reload.

24 min: Latrell Mitchell's bomb is tapped back by Cameron Murray to Cody Walker who resents some treatment in the tackle and gives away a penalty for pushing a Roosters player.

23 min: Egan Butcher comes up with a cold drop to let the Rabbitohs off the hook.

22 min: James Tedesco grubbers from close range and the ball is bobbled but Latrell Mitchell is penalised for being offside on the goal line as Tedesco kicked.

17 min: Some neat footwork from Daly Cherry-Evans as he evades Cameron Murray and David Fifita to grab his first try as a Rooster and the 99th of his career. Sam Walker converts. Roosters 6-0.

15 min: A high tackle penalty against Cody Walker hands Sam Walker a shot at two points but the halfback misses the relatively easy shot. Rabbitohs 20m dropout goes long.

12 min: A mistake by Latrell Mitchell releases the pressure valve and the Roosters come away.

10 min: Cody Walker goes to the line on the last and does some dancing but the Roosters' defence stands firm.

8 min: Cameron Murray goes to the line and passes for Keaon Koloamatangi who is ruled to have knocked on but Souths challenge and get the call as the bunker rules Angus Crichton touched the ball first.

6 min: Another Cody Walker and Latrell Mitchell follows through to trap James Tedesco in-goal. Roosters dropout.

5 min: Cody Walker grubbers into the in-goal, Sam Walker cleans up. The Roosters drop the ball out and Souths go on the attack again.

4 min: Siua Wong is penalised and placed on report for a shoulder charge on Jack Wighton.

3 min: A kick from Sam Walker to the left corner where Daniel Tupou and Campbell Graham contest the ball with the Rabbitohs winger ruled to have knocked on. The Rabbitohs get the ball back from Latrell Mitchell's short dropout.

Late Mail

Roosters: No further changes on game day after centre Billy Smith was ruled out on Thursday following a reported e-bike incident. Smith has been replaced by Junior Pauga, who shifts from the bench to the starting side. Tom Rodwell is the new face on the interchange as a result. In positive news, Rob Toia is on track to take his place in the side, however Spencer Leniu will be sidelined for a month with a hamstring injury. Angus Crichton will play his 200th NRL game, having started his career at the Rabbitohs before joining the Roosters in 2019. 

Rabbitohs: No late changes for Souths. Jayden Sullivan starts at halfback after making a successful return from a broken leg and infection via the interchange last week. Sullivan replaces Ashton Ward, who succumbs to a syndesmosis injury. 

Numbers Game

• The Roosters have won five of their last six games against the Rabbitohs.
• Rabbitohs winger Alex Johnston requires two tries to break the all-time premiership tryscoring record.
• Roosters winger Daniel Tupou has scored nine tries in his last six games at Allianz Stadium.
• Rabbitohs fullback Jye Gray has scored three tries in three games against the Roosters.
• Roosters second-rower Angus Crichton will play his 200th NRL game.

 

Warriors v Raiders at Go Media Stadium

Taine brained 'em: The loss of Chanel Harris-Tavita to an early head knock forced a reshuffle and Taine Tuaupiki came on and played at fullback and was devastating with 22 runs for 210 metres to go with six tackle breaks.

Full-time: For just the fourth time in their history the Warriors are 2-0 to start the season as Tanah Boyd's kicking game, Leka Halasima's power and Jackson Ford's work ethic lead them to a sensational win over last year's minor premiers.

78 min: Another pinpoint kick from Tanah Boyd is collected by Dallin Watene-Zelezniak on the full and the Warriors have another one. In his 150th game for the Warriors it's Roger Tuivasa-Sheck who is handed the conversion attempt and he nails it. Warriors 40-6.

75 min: It's Tanah Boyd again with a neat grubber which ricochets back into his arms and he gets down low to slide in for his team's sixth try. The No.7 fails to convert his own try. Warriors 34-6.

73 min: Tanah Boyd caps a sensational game with a monster 40-20 kick to send the Go Media Stadium faithful into raptures.

68 min: All power from Leka Halasima as he leaves steps Ethan Strange, surges through Noah Martin and carries Matt Timoko over the line to complete his double and wrap up a great win for Andrew Webster's men. Warriors 30-6.

68 min: Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad leaves the field for a HIA which means his night is done.

63 min: Jackson Ford is rewarded for a herculean performance when he powers onto a short ball from Erin Clark and scores under the sticks. Tanah Boyd converts. Warriors 24-6.

62 min: Tanah Boyd bombs again, Savelio Tamale spills it. Warriors with a chance to close it out.

61 min: Joe Tapine is penalised and placed on report for high contact on Dallin Watene-Zelezniak after the winger had collected a bomb.

59 min: Noah Martin goes himself out of dummy half on the last tackle and is held up.

57 min: The Raiders come up with an error on tackle one of a six-again set from close range.

54 min: Tanah Boyd comes up with an error to allow the Raiders out of the danger zone and a six-again call carries the Green Machine upfield where Taine Tuaupiki bobbles a grubber and Canberra have a chance.

49 min: Tanah Boyd goes to the line on the left edge and puts in a perfectly weighted grubber for Leka Halasima to follow through and score. Boyd again adds the extras. Warriors 18-6.

46 min: More heat on the Raiders as Corey Horsburgh makes a meal of the play-the-ball and the Warriors go on the attack from 35m out.

45 min: The Warriors go to the air and Ali Leiataua tries to tap it back but the ball travels forward and a knock on is ruled.

42 min: Tom Starling jumps on the back of a quality Corey Horsburgh offload but the Raiders hooker has his pass picked off by Ali Leiataua who races away to put the home team in front. Tanah Boyd nails the conversion. Warriors 12-6.

Half-time: An absolute arm wrestle between two heavyweights as the rain comes down and both sides complete high despite the conditions. The Warriors went 20 of 24 at 83 per cent as they overcame the loss of Kurt Capewell in the warm-up and a concussion to Chanel Harris-Tavita to remain in the contest. The Raiders completed 17 of 20 sets at 85 per cent and were well led in the middle by Corey Horsburgh (11 runs for 109m) and Hudson Young (10 runs for 84m).

40 min: Hudson Young gets caught in the ruck and is pinged for not rolling away. Tanah Boyd kicks from 40 metres out but can't get the distance and we go the break all square in Auckland.

39 min: Superb goal line defence denies Hudson Young before Ethan Sanders comes up with a cold drop to let the Warriors off the hook.

37 min: Ethan Sanders launching a floating torpedo which Dallin Watene-Zelezniak fails to control and the Raiders are camped in the red zone.

33 min: Seb Kris tackles Jacob Laban on suspicion and the Warriors get a penalty from close range which Tanah Boyd bangs over to level us up. 6-6

27 min: Hudson Young grubbers into the in-goal and earns the Raiders a repeat set.

26 min: More concern for the Warriors as James Fisher-Harris leaves the field for a HIA. He passed and was able to return.

23 min: On the back of a set restart the Warriors push hard but a lofted pass by Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad lands at the feet of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck who can't control the bouncing ball.

21 min: A penalty against Joe Tapine for a shoulder charge hands the Warriors great field position.

19 min: A spilled ball from milestone man Roger Tuivasa-Sheck as the tough conditions make handling difficult.

14 min: The home side hit back when Erin Clark, Tanah Boyd, Taine Tuaupiki and Ali Leiataua handle in a right-side raid before Dallin Watene-Zelezniak finishes off in the corner. Boyd misses the conversion. Raiders 6-4.

11 min: Kaeo Weekes puts in a grubber but it goes too long and skips away on the wet grass allowing the Warriors to come away.

9 min: Chanel Harris-Tavita tries to go low on Noah Martin but catches the hip of the Raiders forward and slumps straight to the turf. Harris-Tavita is sent for a HIA and is ruled a Category 1.

5 min: The Raiders get good field position early after Jacob Laban is pinged for holding down in the ruck and Kaeo Weekes explodes into space from 10 metres out and leaves Ali Leiataua in his wake to give Canberra the lead. Ethan Sanders converts from in front. Raiders 6-0.

1 min: An early shock for the Warriors with Kurt Capewell suffering a torn calf in the warm-up and failing to take his place in the starting side. Leka Halasima starts in jersey No.16 and will patrol the left edge.

Late Mail

Warriors: Marata Niukore dropped out of the squad 24 hours before kick-off as he continues to battle a calf injury. Alofiana Khan-Pereira was the other player to make way on Thursday. Back-rower Eddie Ieremia-Toeava is part of the game day 19 after being on NSW Cup duty last week while Morgan Gannon is the last man to drop out of the squad an hour before kick-off.

Raiders: No late changes for the Raiders. Morgan Smithies will start at prop after veteran Josh Papalii was placed into the HIA protocol. Emerging back-rower Noah Martin retains his place in the starting side following an exceptional performance against Manly last week. Matt Timoko comes off the bench for his first NRL appearance of the year having made a successful return from a foot injury via NSW Cup last week.

Numbers Game

• The Warriors are aiming for a 2-0 start for the first time since 2018.
• The Raiders have won their last three games against the Warriors.
• Warriors forward Leka Halasima has scored seven tries in his last seven games at Go Media Stadium.
• Raiders five-eighth Ethan Strange has scored six tries in his last five NRL games.
• Winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will make his 150th appearance for the Warriors.