Canberra Raiders vs New Zealand Warriors Preview & Prediction | 2025 NRL

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The Canberra Raiders and New Zealand Warriors are set to kick off the 2025 NRL season in style at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Saturday. This highly-anticipated clash promises to be a thrilling encounter as both teams look to start their campaigns on a high note

Start date/time: Sunday 2nd March, 2025, UK – 12:00am / Saturday 1st March, Local – 4:00pm / US ET – 7:00pm / US PT – 4:00pm

How to watch on TV: UK – Sky Sports / Australia – Matches are shared between Channel Nine & Fox League / USA – Some matches are televised live on Fox Sports

How to watch online: UK – Sky Go & Watch NRL / Australia – Kayo Sports / USA – Watch NRL, and if the match is televised in the USA it can also be streamed live on Fox Sports platforms

Canberra Raiders Team News

The Raiders, known for their strong round one performances, have won five of their past six season openers. They'll be eager to continue this trend, especially in front of a record crowd in Sin City. Coach Ricky Stuart has named a full-strength lineup, with rookie Savelio Tamale starting on the wing and Owen Pattie making his debut off the bench.

All eyes will be on fullback Kaeo Weekes, who impressed during the preseason and takes over the starting role following Jordan Rapana's departure. The Raiders will also see Joseph Tapine lead the team as captain for the first time, while Zac Hosking returns from a calf injury to bolster the back row.

New Zealand Warriors Team News

The Warriors, on the other hand, face some challenges heading into this match. They've lost experienced players like Addin Fonua-Blake, Tohu Harris, and most notably, Shaun Johnson. The team has also suffered a significant blow with winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak sidelined for up to 12 weeks due to a wrist injury.

However, the Warriors have reasons for optimism. They've won three of their past four games against the Raiders, and the addition of James Fisher-Harris to their pack could prove crucial. The Warriors will also be buoyed by the return of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, who adds experience and skill to their backline.

Canberra Raiders vs New Zealand Warriors Prediction

The Warriors are slight favourites according to the bookmakers but there is little to split these two evenly-matched teams. We Expect a closely contested match that could go either way.

As we saw in the first couple of rounds in the Betfred Super League in England, many of the opening matches were low-scoring as teams get up to speed and their attacking play is slower to come together the defensive side.

We expect the same here and with these two teams really well-matched, we expect a low-scoring affair.

Canberra Raiders vs New Zealand Warriors Tip: Under 42.5 total points