Blowouts Abound in NRL Round 1

Edward Briggs

Round 1 of the NRL season delivered plenty of excitement, with high-scoring affairs, standout individual performances, and dramatic finishes across Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, and the Gold Coast.

Storm 52 – Eels 4

Melbourne Storm kicked off their home campaign in emphatic fashion, cruising to a 52–4 win over the Parramatta Eels. Despite an early sin bin for J’maine Hopgood and an opening try to Sean Russell, the Storm dominated both halves. Jahrome Hughes orchestrated the attack beautifully, setting up multiple tries for William Warbrick, Jack Howarth, Joe Chan, and Harry Grant, who scored twice himself. Sualauvi Faalogo, Moses Leo, and Ativalu Lisati also crossed, with Hughes and the conversions adding to the margin. It was a one-way display of precision and firepower.

Warriors 42 – Roosters 18

The New Zealand Warriors made a statement at Go Media Stadium with a 42–18 victory over the Sydney Roosters. Tanah Boyd opened the scoring, and although James Tedesco notched his 150th career try to level the scores, the Warriors’ backline brilliance and discipline allowed them to dominate the first half. Adam Pompey, Kurt Capewell, Chanel Harris-Tavita, and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck all crossed, building a 22–6 halftime lead. The Roosters briefly closed the gap after the break, but the Warriors steadied and finished strongly with tries to Harris-Tavita (second) and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad.

Panthers 26 – Broncos 0

The Penrith Panthers, produced a defensive masterclass over the defending premiers at Suncorp Stadium. Early tries to Casey McLean and Dylan Edwards set the tone, with Nathan Cleary adding conversions and a penalty goal. Blaize Talagi and Thomas Jenkins scored in the second half, the latter after a brilliant intercept, sealing a 26–0 victory. Brisbane’s attack looked out of sorts, with Reece Walsh and Adam Reynolds largely contained, while the Panthers’ defensive pressure and composure controlled the game.

Sharks 50 – Titans 10

Cronulla dominated from start to finish, racing to a 34–0 halftime lead before finishing 50–10 over the Gold Coast Titans. Nicho Hynes and Braydon Trindall led the way, orchestrating tries for William Kennedy, Briton Nikora, Jesse Ramien, and others. The Titans managed only a handful of points through Sam Verrills and debutant Sialetili Faeamani, with the Sharks’ precision, speed, and punishing defence proving too much.

Raiders 29 – Sea Eagles 28

The Canberra Raiders edged the Manly Sea Eagles 29–28 in a golden-point thriller at 4 Pines Park. The Raiders appeared to have the game in hand at 28–14, but late tries from Tolu Koula and Jamal Fogarty forced extra time. In golden point, Ethan Sanders, in just his fifth NRL appearance, calmly slotted the decisive goal from 35 metres to secure the win, extending Canberra’s opening-round dominance over Manly.

Rabbitohs 40 – Dolphins 30

South Sydney opened their season at Suncorp Stadium with a 40–30 win over the Dolphins in wet conditions. Campbell Graham and Latrell Mitchell crossed early to set the tone, with the Rabbitohs scoring four more before halftime to lead 28–10. The Dolphins fought back briefly through Herbie Farnworth and Isaako, but South Sydney’s composure, aided by Lachie Hubner and Walker’s 40/20, saw them hold on. Tempers flared late, with Tom Gilbert and David Fifita sent off, but the Bunnies finished the job, setting up a high-profile local derby against the Roosters next week.