Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: Radio New Zealand

NRL: NZ Warriors v Sydney Roosters

Kickoff: 8pm Friday, 6 March

Go Media Stadium, Auckland

Live blog updates on RNZ website

NZ Warriors kick off their 2025 NRL campaign on Friday night against Sydney Roosters at Auckland’s Go Media Stadium.

The home side haven’t enjoyed much success against their rivals in recent times and they will find another old enemy lurking in the Roosters line-up.

Here’s how the game shapes up:

History

Over 48 previous meetings, Sydney Roosters hold a 24-23 head-to-head advantage, with one draw – a 31-31 deadlock at Allianz Stadium that remained unresolved through ‘Golden Point’ in 2007.

That superiority is far more pronounced over the last 10 encounters, where the Roosters enjoy an 8-2 advantage. The first of those defeats came in 2017 at Mt Smart Stadium and the most recent was their last game at the same venue 12 months ago.

Centre Ali Leiataua scored two tries in the 14-6 victory, after the home team trailed 6-4 at halftime, kept their opponents scoreless over the second 40 minutes.

Sydney’s biggest winning margin was 58-6 in 2004, when centre Justin Hodges scored three tries for a home team coached by Ricky Stuart and captained by Brad Fittler. The Roosters would win the minor premiership, but lost to Canterbury Bulldogs in the grand final.

The Warriors’ biggest win was 42-16 in 2006, with Jerome Ropati scoring four tries. The result was part of an impressive finish that saw them win eight of their last 12 games, but a four-point penalty for violating the salary cap ultimately cost them a spot in the playoffs.

Form

Neither team managed to win during the pre-season, with the Warriors falling 33-18 to Manly Sea Eagles and 38-34 to the Dolphins.

Missing seven players to the Māori v Indigenous All Stars game, they were forced to field a very inexperienced team against the Sea Eagles, but performed much better seven days later at Sydney’s Leichhardt Oval, where they led 34-20, before coach Andrew Webster gave his bench a run late.

The Dolphins scored three converted tries in the last 10 minutes – Tevita Naufahu, John Fineanganofo and Brian Pouniu were all born in Auckland – to snatch victory.

Sydney also fielded a makeshift line-up in their 42-26 loss to Wests Tigers, but were closer to full strength for a 28-22 defeat against Parramatta Eels, when they led 22-12 at halftime.

Teams

Warriors: 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

Interchange: 14. Sam Healey, 15. Demitric Vaimauga, 16. Leka Halasima, 17. Tanner Stowers-Smith, 18. Taine Tuaupiki, 20. Morgan Gannon

Reserves: 21. Alofiana Khan-Pereira, 22. Luke Hanson, 23. Eddie Ieremia-Toeava

Co-captain Mitch Barnett hasn’t recovered from last year’s season-ending knee injury enough to return for the opening round. He was due for testing in Sydney last week and hopes are high he will be available next week.

Front-rower Jackson Ford will start in his place, Chanel Harris-Tevita has recovered from his pre-season calf niggle to line up outside Tanah Boyd in the halves, while winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has bounced back from his hamstring twinge.

Marata Niukore is still nursing a calf strain and Jacob Laban will take his place in the second row. Englishman Morgan Gannon is poised for an NRL debut from the interchange.

Roosters: 1. James Tedesco, 2. Daniel Tupou, 3. Billy Smith, 4. Robert Toia, 5. Mark Nawaqanitawase, 6. Daly Cherry-Evans, 7. Sam Walker, 8. Naufahu Whyte, 9. Benaiah Ioelu, 10. Lindsay Collins, 11. Angus Crichton, 12, Nat Butcher, 13. Blake Steep

Interchange: 14. Conor Watson, 15. Siua Wong, 16. Egan Butcher, 17. Spencer Leniu, 18. Cody Ramsey, 19. Fetalaiga Pauga

Reserves: 20. Salesi Foketi, 21. Tommy Talau, 22. Toby Rodwell

Veteran half Daly Cherry-Evans will make his first-game debut for the Roosters, after spending the first 15 years of his career at Manly.

Last time he faced the Warriors, he provided the gamewinning field goal in his Sea Eagles farewell.

With off-season recruit Reece Robson sidelined by a broken thumb, Auckland-born Benaiah Ioelu will line up at hooker, while Victor ‘the Inflictor’ Radley will begin the new season serving a 10-game suspension for his part in the drugs scandal also involving Kiwi Brandon Smith.

Winger Mark Nawaqanitawase was the competition’s top tryscorer last year, while centre Robert Toia was Dally M Rookie of the Year.

Player to watch

When fullback James Tedesco lost his NSW Origin spot in 2024, after 22 consecutive appearances, many probably assumed he was entering the twilight of his career.

Instead, he produced one of his best seasons in 2025, winning the Dally M Medal for the second time and taking Captain of the Year honours for good measure.

“We’ve got a world class fullback that we’re coming up against on the weekend,” Warriors counterpart Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad said. “It’s a really good challenge, a really good individual challenge… he can do whatever he wants, but if we get the ‘W’, I’ll be happy with that.”

Kiwi player to watch

Since the departure of Kiwi hardman Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, young countryman Naufahu Whyte has elevated his game to fill the void, logging 23 games in each of the last two seasons and bringing up his 50th appearance for the Roosters last year.

His progress has made him an automatic selection for the national team and he will come up against NZ captain James Fisher-Harris this week.

“I’ve admired the bro for a long time now, ever since he was first in the Kiwis,” Fisher-Harris acknowledged. “Just the way he holds himself on and off the field.

“He’s developed into a good player now and last year he was killing it. He’s my bro and I’m keen to go at it.”

What they say

“It’s surprised me how well he trains for a guy who’s 37 years old. He doesn’t miss a session, he’s out there doing extras and looks after himself really well.”

Tedesco on new recruit Cherry-Evans

“A bit like us, I’m sure they’re not going to be perfect round one, but they will be experienced enough through those three [Cheery-Evans, Tedesco and Walker] to come with plenty of options. They’re a dangerous spine and Cherry’s going to add a lot.”

Webster on what to expect from Cherry-Evans

New rules

The NRL has brought in some new regulations that will challenge coaches’ adbility to adjust through the early rounds.

• Trainers won’t be able to run onto the field during play, a move designed to prioritise player safety, while also reducing messages being carried onto the field from coaches.
• Interchange benches will now consists of six players, but only four can be used up to eight times per game. This will allow coaches to carry specialist replacements among their subs.
• Defensive teams will no longer have a seven-tackle set, if the attacking team knocks on in goal.
• Infringements beyond the 20-metre line will be punished with a six-again call, replacing the previous 40-metres threshold.
• A proposal to give teams the option of kicking off or receiving the kickoff after a try was shelved for now.

What will happen

Too early in the season to make any informed predictions. This is a talented Roosters roster, but the result will come down to whoever can find some early-season cohesion quickest.

Cherry-Evans and Tedesco certainly know how to beat the Warriors, and their combination is scary.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Corey Peters has spent most of the past decade chasing winters.

For 12 straight years, the New Zealand sit-skier went season to season without a break, building a career that has delivered four Paralympic medals, including downhill gold at Beijing in 2022. But the road to Milan has looked nothing like the ones that came before it.

Instead of relentless travel and northern hemisphere campaigns, Peters stepped away after the birth of his first child, Valentina, in 2023. He wanted to be present for her first year – and for his partner – and said the decision was one of the best he has made.

“I wanted to build that connection and bond with my daughter,” Peters told RNZ.

“Up until then, it had been 12 years of back-to-back winters without a season off. So it was a perfect excuse to have a break from the first year of an Olympic cycle. I wanted to support my partner and just be there for Valentina as much as I could.”

He had barely begun his return when a setback followed. A dislocated shoulder in training wiped out much of the next season, meaning Peters effectively spent the first two years of his daughter’s life largely at home.

“In hindsight, it was kind of a blessing in disguise really,” he said. “We’re really close and have a good relationship.”

That closeness has made this campaign different in more ways than one. Valentina, now three, struggles with his time away.

“She’s always saying how much she misses daddy and asks when I’m coming home. That goes to show the bond that we’ve created.”

It has also shifted his motivation.

“Up until then, I guess I’d been doing it for myself and now I feel like I am doing it for them as well.”

But fatherhood brought doubt too – particularly in a discipline as unforgiving as downhill sit-skiing.

“One of the biggest things that I did struggle with was how much risk you wanted to put into it,” he said. “You’re aware of your body and not wanting to crash.”

Working with a sports psychologist and logging more time in the start gate gradually restored his belief. Now, on the eve of his fourth Paralympics, he feels competitive again.

The Milan Games, which officially begin on Friday, will likely be Peters’ last at this level. At 42, he acknowledges another four-year cycle may be a stretch, though a world championships campaign next year remains a possibility.

He arrives in Italy as the defending downhill sitting champion after his breakthrough gold at the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics, where he also claimed silver in the Super-G. His first Paralympic medal came at the Sochi 2014 Winter Paralympics with silver in the giant slalom, followed by downhill bronze at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Paralympics.

He has never left a Games empty-handed – a record he is keenly aware of.

“I’d be lying if I didn’t say I want to get one,” he said. “To have that 100 percent success rate at each Games that I’ve participated in – that’s kind of in the back of my mind.”

This time, though, he knows the challenge will be steeper. The Cortina course is more technical than the one in China, with rolling terrain and blind breakovers that punish hesitation. The field has also deepened, as the sport continues to grow.

“It’s certainly not going to be an easy task. You’ve got a bit of a target on your back. Every four years, the competition improves.”

Peters will contest the downhill, Super-G and giant slalom in Milan and says a multi-medal haul would be “the icing on the cake” of his career.

His path to the top of the sport was anything but conventional. A former Taranaki age-group and development squad rugby representative, Peters’ life changed in 2009 when he suffered a crushed spinal cord in a motocross accident. After four months in a spinal unit learning to navigate life in a wheelchair, he discovered sit-skiing in 2011 – a sport that would reshape his future.

“It’s been massive for overcoming the spinal cord injury,” he said. “It completely changed my life.”

Whatever happens in Milan, Peters expects skiing to remain part of it. Even if this is his final Paralympics, he plans to continue recreationally, frequenting his local fields at Cardrona and Treble Cone.

“It’s the sense of freedom that it gives you,” he said. “Your disability kind of disappears when you’re in the sit-ski. You don’t have the same limitations on you as you do in the wheelchair on a day-to-day basis.”

For now, though, his focus is firmly on one more push at the highest level – balancing the pursuit of another medal with the perspective he has gained away from the slopes.

The downhill sitting event is scheduled for late Saturday night (NZT), with the Super-G and giant slalom later in the programme.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand