North Queensland has today been confirmed as the One New Zealand Warriors’ opponent in the NRL’s 2025 edition of the Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane next May.
The schedule for the biggest weekend of the regular season has been released ahead of the full NRL draw being revealed tomorrow.
The clash against the Cowboys is the middle game of the tripleheader on Saturday, May 3 kicking off at 5.30pm local time. As they have been since the Magic Round was introduced in 2019, the Warriors will again be the home side.
The past two seasons they’ve been drawn against the defending premiers the Penrith Panthers, losing 6-18 in a controversy-laden encounter in 2023 but stunning the titleholders when they overcame all manner of adversity to win 22-20 in one of this year’s most dramatic contests.
Highlights: 2025 Magic Round v Panthers
The battle with the Cowboys will have a coaching edge to it with Andrew Webster pitted against former Warriors head coach Todd Payten.
The two clubs introduced to the competition in 1995 met only once in 2024, the One New Zealand Warriors producing their most compelling performance of the season when they triumphed 42-12 in Townsville.
Both sides have undergone significant changes in personnel with the Warriors losing halfback Shaun Johnson (retired), prop Addin Fonua-Blake (Cronulla Sutherland), middle forward Jazz Tevaga (Manly Warringah) and winger Marcelo Montoya (Canterbury Bankstown) while signing Kiwi captain James Fisher-Harris from the Panthers, Gold Coast middle forward Erin Clark, his Titans teammate and halfback Tanah Boyd and emerging Cronulla Sutherland hooker Sam Healey.
The Cowboys have farewelled winger Kyle Feldt (St Heles), centre Valentine Holmes (St George Illawarra), halfback Chad Townsend (Sydney Roosters) and second rower Kulikefu Finefeuiaki (Dolphins) while incoming signings include former Warrior Karl Lawton from the Sea Eagles along with his Manly Warringah teammate and former South Sydney and Roosters winger Jaxson Paulo. The Cowboys’ roster includes another former Warrior in centre Viliami Vailea.
The 2025 Magic Round will be the sixth held so far (the 2020 edition was cancelled due to the Covid pandemic).
Highlights: 2019 Magic Round v Dragons
After beating St George Illawarra 26-18 in 2019, the Warriors had losses to Parramatta (18-34) in 2021 and South Sydney (30-32) in 2022 before meeting Penrith in 2023 and 2024.
Aside from the Warriors-Cowboys contest, the 2025 Magic Round features a monster match-up between the four-time premiers Penrith and the Brisbane Broncos.
2025 Magic Round
Friday, May 2
6.00pm | Sharks v Eels
8.00pm | Roosters v Dolphins
Saturday, May 3
3.00pm | Rabbitohs v Knights
5.30pm | One New Zealand Warriors v Cowboys
7.45pm | Tigers v Dragons
Sunday, May 4
1.50pm | Titans v Bulldogs
4.05pm | Panthers v Broncos
6.25pm | Storm v Raiders
Bye: Sea Eagles
