NRL Early Mail round 1 2025: Billy Walters trains with reserves while Cory Paix trains with first Broncos team
Michael Maguire has given his strongest indication yet on who will be starting in hooker for the Broncos this season after one No.9 option was left to train with the reserves. See all the NRL early mail.
Broncos grand-final hooker Billy Walters is fighting to save his spot with forgotten rival Cory Paix rocketing into the mix to win the No.9 jumper for Brisbane’s premiership opener.
Brisbane coach Michael Maguire held a training session at Red Hill on Saturday which gave the strongest indication yet of the Broncos’ top 17 for Thursday night’s round 1 clash against the Roosters.
Walters, Brisbane’s No.1 rake for the past two years, was seen running with the reserves, while Paix spent most of the session with the main team at hooker in a sign he is ready to end his 526-day NRL exile.
New Brisbane coach Michael Maguire will name his inaugural Broncos team on Tuesday and Paix’s possible selection at hooker would cap a remarkable resurrection for the Toowoomba terrier.
The 25-year-old fell out of favour under former coach Kevin Walters, didn’t play a single NRL game last year and was given permission to negotiate with other rivals.
But Paix, refusing to give up hope, has had a sensational pre-season and impressed Maguire with his performances in the trials, including a two-try haul in a 50-12 rout of the Titans a fortnight ago.
In other key selection news ahead of Brisbane’s 2025 opener at Allianz Stadium:
* Superstar prop Payne Haas trained well and appears a certain starter against the Roosters after injuring his ankle in last week’s trial win over the Bulldogs;
* Deine Mariner ran at right centre and is in line to replace Kotoni Staggs, who injured his quad against the Bulldogs;
* Maguire is set to resist the temptation to move Selwyn Cobbo to centre, with the Indigenous ace training on the right wing outside Mariner; and
* NRL journeyman Gehamat Shibasaki is set for a stunning debut in his second coming at the Broncos, running at left centre inside Jesse Arthars.
But the major talking point is the fierce, four-way hooking battle that could unseat Walters and leave the veteran fighting for his long-term future at Red Hill.
Just turned 31, Walters was magnificent in Brisbane’s charge to the 2023 grand final, defying the critics by playing 49 games over the past two seasons as the Broncos’ main man at hooker.
But Paix’s revival under Maguire has blown the hooking spot wide open. Should Paix win the No.9 jumper on Tuesday, Walters will be plunged into a battle with Tyson Smoothy for the No.14 utility spot on interchange.
TURUVA BOOSTED
Wests Tigers recruit Sunia Turuva is expected to be fit to play Newcastle in Round 1 after undergoing emergency appendix surgery last month.
The former Penrith flyer has returned to training and is firming to start the season with the Tigers in Campbelltown on March 7, which would be just over five weeks post-operation.
The 22-year-old scored 17 tries for the premiers last season and is a major part of the club’s new-look squad headlined by four-time title-winner Jarome Luai.
However, the two were left out of both trial games for the Tigers this pre-season as well as a number of backline players with ongoing injury concerns.
Fullback Jahream Bula also missed both of the club’s trials as he recovers from shoulder surgery in August last year and is pushing to play round 1, with Turuva to come into consideration as a replacement if needed.
Centre Brent Naden is also expected to be sidelined for between six to eight weeks after suffering a painful dislocated kneecap in the club’s trial win over Parramatta over the weekend, with Adam Doueihi expected to replace him on the right edge.
Meanwhile, Papua New Guinean representative centre Justin Olam’s immediate playing future remains uncertain as he weighs up retirement.
BULLDOGS CONFIRM KIRAZ REPLACEMENT
—Dean Ritchie
Recruit Marcelo Montoya and Blake Wilson are certain to claim the two Canterbury wing spots vacated by Josh Addo-Carr and Jacob Kiraz.
Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo will formally name his side to play St George Illawarra next Tuesday with Montoya and Wilson ready to claim round one positions.
Addo-Carr split with the club last year for Parramatta while Kiraz is unavailable through a back injury.
Montoya is a former Bulldog who left in 2020 for four seasons with the Warriors.
Wilson continues to establish himself at Belmore after joining the club last season. He has played 15 NRL games over the past two years.
Connor Tracey would expect to retain the fullback spot from Blake Taaffe.
Matt Burton and Toby Sexton will team-up again in the halves with Roosters recruit Sitili Tupouniua hoping to be an interchange player, perhaps on an extended bench.
Sam Hughes and Max King would be front-runners to be Canterbury’s starting props.
New buy Enari Tuala is recovering from a foot injury with Josh Curran unavailable through suspension.
Canterbury and St George Illawarra play at Kogarah on Saturday, March 8.
EELS IN WING STING
—Dean Ritchie
Honesty. Consistency. Work ethic.
These are the three decisive qualities new Parramatta coach Jason Ryles pinched from his mentor, Melbourne’s Craig Bellamy, the pair going head-to-head in an epic Round 1 Ryles has described as “surreal and fitting.”
The match, at AAMI Park on March 9, will be Bellamy’s 587th NRL games with Ryles on his head coaching debut.
After 12 years as an assistant under Bellamy at Melbourne, Trent Robinson (Sydney Roosters) and Eddie Jones (English rugby), Ryles says he is “finally at the starting line.”
And it certainly won’t be easy given Melbourne has won 22 of its past 24 Round 1 matches.
Ryles spoke passionately about his new coaching career while still pondering over team selection for the Storm game.
“We haven’t settled on a team yet. We are just getting through this week and we’ll know more early next week. We’re the Sunday game so we have a little bit of time to go,” he said.
A wing position remains unresolved, as does starting front-row and back-row spots along with a bench place with star players Josh Addo-Carr, Shaun Lane and Bailey Simonsson unavailable.
Sean Russell and Jake Tago are favourites to play wing with Jack Williams and Joe Ofahengaue battling for a starting front-row spot alongside Junior Paulo.
Kelma Tuilagi, Ryan Matterson and J’maine Hopgood are backrow contenders along with Bryce Cartwright, who could come off the bench with Charlie Guymer and Wiremu Greig also interchange options.
PAP A CHANCE AS STORM GUNS EYE COMEBACKS
—Pamela Whaley
Melbourne gun Su’a Fa’alogo is set to be available to face Parramatta in round 1 as a host of stars are expected to return for the season opener.
Scans have ruled out a hamstring injury for Fa’alogo after he was pulled from the field in Sunday’s trial loss to North Queensland with tightness in his leg.
Jahrome Hughes, Xavier Coates and Will Warbrick also started full training on Wednesday and are set to play the season opener, while Ryan Papenhuyzen will be given every chance to face the Eels.
“I think they’re all going to be pretty good, Sua’s been given the all clear for round 1, Paps is on track for round 1 and Xav is the same and Brick should be right,” said skipper Harry Grant on Wednesday.
“For us at this time of year it’s about being ready for round 1 and that’s the priority, obviously there’s trials, but if guys are 50-50 for the trials, they’ve got enough first grade experience or ability to get themselves right.
“Hughsey’s looking OK too, he was probably pushing for the trial but given it was a trial and how experienced and important Hughesy is it’s probably better to play the safe option. For my understanding he’ll be sweet.”
Papenhuyzen has been dealing with knee and ankle issues, and needs to get through every training session over the next week to be considered.
Meanwhile, rookie Hugo Peel has undergone surgery for a fractured jaw and will be sidelined for between eight to 10 weeks after a collision in Sunday’s trial game.
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