NRL Round 1 teams: Roosters star axed in big Vegas call

The NRL season kicks off in Vegas this weekend and the Roosters have swung the axe on a State of Origin star in surprise team news.

The round one NRL teams are being announced.

The first Tuesday Teams of the NRL season is upon us, and there’s plenty to dive into with the footy action kicking off in Las Vegas this weekend.

Manly take on South Sydney in the first game of the year at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday AEDT, before the Roosters and Broncos battle it out later in the afternoon.

The only place to watch both games of the Las Vegas opening double-header live is Fox League, available on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >

It was only a couple of weeks ago when Pat Carrigan and Adam Reynolds got into a scuffle after a team fan day, but the Broncos stars are set to play in Vegas on Sunday.

In other news:

— Luke Brooks will make his Manly debut at five-eighth, while new recruits Nathan Brown and Jaxson Paulo have also been named in the Sea Eagles’ 17.

— Angus Crichton has been left out of the Roosters’ side with the Tricolours favouring Siua Wong and Sitili Tupouniua in the second row.

— The Trbojevic brothers will achieve a slice of NRL history with Tom, Jake and Ben all named in Manly’s starting side to take on South Sydney.

Several other surprise selection moves leaked out on Tuesday before the official teams are announced, including:

— Rabbitohs five-eighth Cody Walker has been named after reportedly passing a secret fitness test ahead of the clash with Manly.

A scare for @dolphinsnrl this morning. Herbie Farnworth appears to have jarred his knee at training. Has attempted to stride out a few times and struggled. Club doc seems to think he’ll be okay. @10NewsFirstQLD#NRLpic.twitter.com/iQV1dc52T3

— Veronica Eggleton (@veggleton) February 26, 2024

— New recruit Herbie Farnworth sent a scare through the Dolphins when he hobbled off at training with a leg complaint.

Angus Crichton has been left out of the Roosters’ side. Picture: NRL Photos

Manly Sea Eagles vs South Sydney Rabbitohs – Sunday 1.30pm AEDT

Sea Eagles team: 1. Tom Trbojevic 2. Jason Saab 3. Tolutau Koula 4. Reuben Garrick 5. Jaxson Paulo 6. Luke Brooks 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Taniela Paseka 9. Lachlan Croker 10. Josh Aloiai 11. Haumole Olakau’atu 12. Ben Trbojevic 13. Jake Trbojevic 14. Karl Lawton 15. Corey Waddell 16. Ethan Bullemor 17. Nathan Brown 18. Jakob Arthur 19. Raymond Tuiamalo Vaega 20. Aaron Woods 21. Tommy Talau 22. Brad Parker

Rabbitohs team: 1. Latrell Mitchell 2. Alex Johnston 3. Isaiah Tass 4. Richard Kennar 5. Jacob Gagai 6. Cody Walker 7. Lachlan Ilias 8. Tevita Tatola 9. Damien Cook 10. Sean Keppie 11. Keaon Koloamatangi 12. Jai Arrow 13. Cameron Murray 14. Siliva Havili 15. Jacob Host 16. Davvy Moale 17. Thomas Burgess 18. Tallis Duncan 19. Michael Chee Kam 20. Shaquai Mitchell 21. Peter Mamouzelos 24. Dean Hawkins

Sydney Roosters vs Brisbane Broncos – Sunday 3.30pm AEDT

Roosters team: 1. James Tedesco 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Billy Smith 4. Joseph Manu 5. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii 6. Luke Keary 7. Sam Walker 8. Spencer Leniu 9. Brandon Smith 10. Lindsay Collins 11. Siua Wong 12. Sitili Tupouniua 13. Victor Radley 14. Sandon Smith 15. Naufahu Whyte 16. Nat Butcher 17. Terrell May 18. Fetalaiga Pauga 19. Angus Crichton 20. Egan Butcher 21. Zach Dockar-Clay 22. Connor Watson

Broncos team: 1. Reece Walsh 2. Jesse Arthars 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Selwyn Cobbo 5. Deine Mariner 6. Ezra Mam 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Corey Jensen 9. Billy Walters 10. Payne Haas 11. Brendan Piakura 12. Jordan Riki 13. Patrick Carrigan 14. Tyson Smoothy 15. Fletcher Baker 16. Kobe Hetherington 17. Xavier Willison 18. Corey Oates 19. Jock Madden 20. Tristan Sailor 21. Martin Taupau 22. Jaiyden Hunt

Jake, Ben and Tom Trbojevic. NRL PHOTOS

Likely teams for Round 1

Newcastle Knights vs Canberra Raiders – Thursday March 7, 8pm @ McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle

Predicted Knights team: 1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Greg Marzhew 3. Bradman Best 4. Dane Gagai 5. Enari Tuala 6. Tyson Gamble 7. Jackson Hastings 8. Daniel Saifiti 9. Jayden Brailey 10. Leo Thompson 11. Tyson Frizell 12. Dylan Lucas 13. Adam Elliott 14. Phoenix Crossland 15. Jacob Saifiti 16. Kai Pearce-Paul 17. Jack Hetherington

Predicted Raiders team: 1. Jordan Rapana 2. Xavier Savage 3. Ethan Strange 4. Matt Timoko 5. Albert Hopoate 6. Kaeo Weekes 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Josh Papalii 9. Zac Woolford 10. Joseph Tapine 11. Hudson Young 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. Morgan Smithies 14. Tom Starling 15. Ata Mariota 16. Emre Guler 17. Zac Hosking

New Zealand Warriors vs. Cronulla Sharks – Friday, March 8, 6pm @ Go Media Stadium

Predicted Warriors team: 1. Taine Tuaupiki 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Rocco Berry 4. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Luke Metcalf 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Wayde Egan 10. Mitch Barnett 11. Kurt Capewell 12. Marata Niukore 13. Tohu Harris 14. Dylan Walker 15. Jackson Ford 16. Tom Ale 17. Bunty Afoa

Predicted Sharks team: 1. Will Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Siosifa Talakai 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Braydon Trindall 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Braden Hamlin-Uele 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Toby Rudolf 11. Briton Nikora 12. Teig Wilton 13. Dale Finucane 14. Cameron McInnes 15. Royce Hunt 16. Tom Hazelton 17. Jack Williams

Melbourne Storm vs Penrith Panthers – Friday March 8, 8pm @ AAMI Park

Predicted Storm team: 1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. Xavier Coates 3. Reimis Smith 4. Nick Meaney 5. Will Warbrick 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Christian Welch 9. Harry Grant 10. Tui Kamikamica 11. Shawn Blore 12. Eli Katoa 13. Josh King 14. Bronson Garlick 15. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 16. Shawn Blore 17. Sua Fa’alogo

Predicted Panthers team: 1. Dylan Edwards 2. Sunia Turuva 3. Izack Tago 4. Taylan May 5. Brian To’o 6. Jarome Luai 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Mitch Kenny 10. James Fisher-Harris 11. Scott Sorensen 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo 14. Tyrone Peacehy 15. Lindsay Smith 16. Luke Garner 17. Liam Henry

Parramatta Eels vs Canterbury Bulldogs – Saturday March 9, 5.30pm @ CommBank Stadium

Predicted Eels team: 1. Clint Gutherson 2. Maika Sivo 3. Will Penisini 4. Bailey Simonsson 5. Sean Russell 6. Dylan Brown 7. Mitchell Moses 8. Junior Paulo 9. Brendan Hands 10. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 11. Shaun Lane 12. Bryce Cartwright 13. J’maine Hopgood 14. Kelma Tuilagi 15. Joe Ofahengaue 16. Ryan Matterson 17. Wiremu Greig

Predicted Bulldogs team: 1. Blake Taaffe 2. Jacob Kiraz 3. Connor Tracey 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Matt Burton 7. Drew Hutchison 8. Max King 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Liam Knight 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Jacob Preston 13. Josh Curran 14. Jaeman Salmon 15. Kurt Mann 16. Samuel Hughes 17. Poasa Faamausili

Gold Coast Titans vs St George Illawarra Dragons – Saturday March 9, 7.30pm @Cbus Super Stadium

Predicted Titans team: 1. Keano Kini 2. Alofiana Khan-Pereira 3. AJ Brimson 4. Brian Kelly 5. Phillip Sami 6. Kieran Foran 7. Tanah Boyd 8. Mo Fotuaika 9. Sam Verrills 10. Keenan Palasia 11. Klese Haas 12. Beau Fermor 13. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui 14. Chris Randall 15. Isaac Liu 16. Erin Clark 17. Jacob Alick

Predicted Dragons team: 1. Tyrell Sloan 2. Zac Lomax 3. Moses Suli 4. Jack Bird 5. Mikaele Ravalawa 6. Kyle Flanagan 7. Ben Hunt 8. Francis Molo 9. Jacob Liddle 10. Blake Lawrie 11. Luciano Leilua 12. Jaydn Su’A 13. Jack de Belin 14. Jesse Marschke 15. Raymond Faitala-Mariner 16. Hame Sele 17. Tom Eisenhuth

Dolphins vs North Queensland Cowboys – Sunday March 10, 4pm @Suncorp Stadium

Predicted Dolphins team: 1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 2. Jamayne Isaako 3. Herbie Farnworth 4. Jake Averillo 5. Jack Bostock 6. Isaiya Katoa 7. Sean O’Sullivan 8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Jeremy Marshall-King 10. Tom Flegler 11. Felise Kaufusi 12. Euan Aitken 13. Ray Stone 14. Kodi Nikorima 15. Kenny Bromwich 16. Connelly Lemuelu 17. Jarrod Wallace

Predicted Cowboys team: 1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Murray Taulagi 3. Valentine Holmes 4. Zac Laybutt 5. Semi Valemei 6. Tom Dearden 7. Chad Townsend 8. Jordan McLean 9. Reece Robson 10. Jason Taumalolo 11. Heilum Luki 12. Jeremiah Nanai 13. Reuben Cotter 14. Jake Granville 15. Coen Hess 16. Griffin Neame 17. Thomas Mikaele

Bye: Wests Tigers