Vegas Blog: Disappointing start to season 2025

Full-time: The Panthers hang on for a 28-22 win in a high-quality contest to launch their quest for a fifth straight premiership in style. The Panthers have now won nine of their past 10 games against the Sharks, who have won only two of their past 12 Round 1 games. Dylan Edwards and Paul Alamoti combined for 408 run metres while Jesse Ramien racked up 177 metres and eight tackle breaks for the Sharks.

79 min: After getting the ball back from a short kick-off the Sharks go within an ace of a late try but Penrith's defence stands firm to deny Jesse Ramien.

76 min: Precision again from the Panthers as Jack Cole, Nathan Cleary and Luke Garner handle before Daine Laurie slides over for his second try. Nathan Cleary misses to the left with the conversion and the Sharks stay alive at 28-22.

69 min: Cronulla's star recruit Addin Fonua-Blake grabs his first try for the club, powering over from close range to get his team back within two points after Braydon Trindall's conversion.

60 min: Panthers bench forward Isaiah Papali'i leaves the field with a badly split upper lip.

59 min: A mistake by Liam Martin gives Cronulla a chance and Braydon Trindall capitalises when he delivers a sweet pass to put Kayal Iro over for a try. Trindall adds the extras to pull it back to 24-16.

53 min: On the back of ill-discipline by Ronaldo Mulitalo giving away a penalty when his side had the ball the Panthers deliver a hammer blow when Paul Alamoti crosses in the corner after Nathan Cleary and Dylan Edwards had combined to create space. Cleary bangs it over again for a 24-10 lead.

50 min: Daine Laurie soars into the left corner for a Penrith try after quality lead-up from Nathan Cleary and Jack Cole. The gun No.7 then converts from wide out to stretch the margin to eight points. 18-10.

47 min: Braden Hamlin-Uele powers towards the line for the Sharks but is denied by desperation Penrith defence, losing the ball just short.

Half-time: A tense and tight contest with the Panthers completing 17 of 23 sets at 73 per cent and the Sharks 19 of 24 at 79 per cent. Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards leads the metres tally with 134 from 14 runs. Lindsay Smith leads the tackle count with 33 for the Panthers while Sharks hooker Blayke Brailey has 30.

40 min: Nathan Cleary launches a two-point field goal attempt from 42 metres out but the ball sails left and the score remains at 12-10.

38 min: Nicho Hynes spills the kick-off but the Sharks go for a short dropout and get the ball back thanks to a leaping Ronaldo Mulitalo.

36 min: With Nicho Hynes taking the line on and causing headaches for Penrith it's Briton Nikora who grabs the Sharks' second courtesy of a pinpoint Braydon Trindall grubber. Trindall converts to pull it back to 12-10.

28 min: Blayke Brailey puts the kick-off over the dead ball line and the Panthers go straight back on the attack, Nathan Cleary making the Sharks pay big time with a deft kick over the top for Izack Tago to chase and score. Cleary adds the extras for a 12-4 Panthers lead.

27 min: The Panthers hit back when their champion skipper Isaah Yeo takes on the line from 10 metres out and powers through an Addin Fonua-Blake tackle to post the 32nd try of his career. Nathan Cleary converts for a 6-4 lead.

23 min: Lindsay Smith gets over the line and reaches out to score but is ruled to have lost the ball in trying to get it down. Sharks No.1 Will Kennedy came up with a great trysaving play to knock the ball loose and it rolled away for Nathan Cleary to touch down but the video ref ruled Smith had knocked on.

20 min: A 'roll ball' penalty against Dylan Edwards gives the Sharks another chance but again they fail to cash in.

18 min: The Panthers go right and Dylan Edwards comes up with a poor pass which is spilt by Paul Alamoti and the Sharks go on the attack again but Oregon Kaufusi returns the favour with an error and the premiers come away.

9 min: On the back of two six-again calls the Sharks find themselves under enormous pressure on their line but a poor offload by Panthers prop Lindsay Smith lets Cronulla off the hook.

5 min: Jesse Ramien opens the scoring for the Sharks after slick lead-up from halves Braydon Trindall and Nicho Hynes combining on the right side. Trindall misses the conversion. Sharks 4-0.

3 min: A blow for the Panthers early with young winger Casey McLean copping an accidental head knock in a tackle and leaving the field for a HIA. He was ruled a Category 1 and will not return.

Late mail: Both teams are 1-17 with no late changes. Tuku Hau Tapuha is the 18th man for Sharks, with Brad Schneider filling the role for the Panthers.

 

Australian Jillaroos v England, Sunday 1.15pm (AEDT) at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas

Full-time: The Jillaroos have once again stamped their authority on the international stage, putting in a clinical performance to defeat England 90-4. Jess Skinner claims her first win as head coach of Australia after taking the reins of the Prime Minister's XIII side last year. Tamika Upton scored five tries, with Julia Robinson and Jess Sergis both scoring a hat-tricks. England however were able to finish with the last try of the game, with their skipper Georgia Roche scoring their only try. 

69 min: A try for England! Georgia Roche does it herself, showing a dummy and great determination to finally touch the ball down for a consolation try.

65 min: Keilee Joseph is in for her first try after some prop-to-prop passing play with Apps setting up the try with a good run. Aiken kicks the goal for a 90-0 lead. The record score for the Jillaroos is a 92-0 win over France at the 2022 Rugby League World Cup. 

63 min: Sergis gets her hat-trick with you guessed it - Aiken part of the lead-up. 

60 min: A rare error for the Jillaroos with Robinson unable to handle the kick off, giving England a scrum in their attacking zone. However, the kick to the in-goal is too deep, giving Australian back the ball.

54 min: After scoring five tries so far, Upton now helps set them up, putting Sergis through for her second try. Aiken slots her ninth conversion to put the Jillaroos up 78-0. 

54 min: Whitfeld attempts to go back-to-back but is denied, but Anna Davies is able to get her down just before the tryline, with Whitfeld then giving up a penalty for a double movement.

51 min: Cowboys back Whitfeld gets a try of her own, brushing aside her tackler on the wing to show some strength to find the line, right by the far upright. This time, Aiken can't convert, with the Jillaroos out to a 72-0 lead. 

48 min: This time, Sergis won't be denied, with the Jillaroos going to their left, with Aiken finding Sergis to add to the total. Aiken slots the extras again for a 68-0 lead. 

46 min: Robinson getting in on the try-scoring showcase with her own hat-trick. Aiken has converted her last two tries and it's one way traffic with Australia ahead 62-0. 

44 min: Upton again - remarkably in for her fifth try. No much else that can be said about the superstar fullback who has been loving the Vegas experience. 

43 mine: A rare miss for Australia, with Sergis denied a try after being deemed to have pushed the England defender off the ball on her way to collecting the ball and making her way to the try line. England get the ball via a penalty and an opportunity finally to mount some attack.   

40 min: It's the Tamika Upton show as she runs in for her fourth try after latching onto an Olivia Kernick offload in traffic. Aiken converts and the Jillaroos are up by 50-0.

38 min: Kelly has her second try of the match after the Jillaroos pounced on a loose England ball, with Yasmin Clydsdale scooping up the ball and having a run, finding her centre in support. Aiken is back on kicking duties and converts for a 44-0 lead. 

With that try, Kelly comes off the field with a hamstring concern, with Jess Sergis coming into the centres from the bench. 

35 min: Play has stopped after Jillaroos forward Togatuki, freshly cleared from her HIA, is involved with another head clash after meeting England's Vicky Whitfield taking the ball up from the kick-off to start the second half. As it is Togatuki's second head knock of the game, she has been ruled out of the match. Whitfield has been assisted from the field with all care being taken for her wellbeing, with reports she has been taken to hospital as a precaution. 

Half-time: The Jillaroos have been dominant throughout the opening 35 minutes of play to take a 38-0 lead into the sheds, not taking the foot off the pedal against England who have had hardly any possession. Tamika Upton has a hat-trick, with Julia Robinson crossing twice in the opening half. 

The stats tell the story, with Australia making the most of their 64% share of possession with 15/18 completions, while England have completed 8/10. Australia have run for 1117 metres, while England have only been allowed to run 438, with the Jillaroos making 10 line breaks to 0. 

34 min: Robinson has her second with the Jillaroos showing no mercy in the shadows of half-time. This time, it's the halves combining with Ali Brigginshaw passing to Aiken who throws a long pass for Robinson to go in. Brigginshaw attempts the conversion and misses, with the Jillaroos in front 38-0.

30 min: Isabelle Kelly is the next Jillaroos to score, another try set up by Aiken. She misses the conversion, with the Jillaroos leading 34-0. 

Just before that try, Jillaroos forward Sarah Togatuki was taken from the field for a HIA. 

25 min: Upton has a first half hat-trick after the Jillaroos go almost the length of the field to score their sixth try. Robinson fields a kick on her left wing, bursts up the field and find her fullback back on her inside streaming through to score. Aiken misses this one and the scores remain at 30-0.

England had enjoyed some possession in the mean-time, with fullback Georgie Dagger in particular showing some spark, but the Jillaroos are just proving far too strong. 

17 min: Upton has her second and England have no answers at the moment. Aiken converts once again and it's 26-0.

14 min: Golden Boot winner Aiken showing her class in this match, setting up another try, with a grubber into the in-goal behind pounced on by prop Shannon Mato. Aiken coverts another from in front and the Jillaroos lead 20-0. 

After a promising start, England have had no possession and are struggling to contain the skills of Australia. 

12 min: Three tries in a row for the Jillaroos, with Upton scoring under the posts. Winger Jakiya Whitfeld had a good run up the sideline in the lead up, but it was Upton's chase on a Tarryn Aiken kick the gets them another score. Aiken converts the try to push Australia out to a 14-0 lead. 

9 min: Australia are in again thanks to Tiana Penitani, however the try belongs to Kezie Apps, who make a long break straight up the middle of the field to set up the scoring play. Conversion attempt waived away, Jillaroos lead 8-0.

5 min: Julia Robinson gets the first try for Australia, running in open space to score out wide after some strong lead-up play from classy fullback Tamika Upton. England had the early running in the match after earning the game's first penalty, but the Jillaroos were able to counterattack to get on the board first. The conversion attempt is waived away with the Jillaroos leading 4-0. 

Kick-off: The anthems have been sung and the two sides are off and running for their historic Test at Allegiant Stadium, with Jillaroo Shannon Mato taking the first hit up. 

Late Mail: Both sides will line up 1-17 with no late changes. Jess Elliston is 18th player for the Jillaroos and Erin Stott for England.

Raiders v Warriors, Sunday 11.00am (AEDT) at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas

Full-time: That's it for the season-opener, with the Raiders registering their biggest Round 1 win since season 2019 when they thumped the Titans 21-0. The 30-8 result also marks the Warriors' largest season-opening loss in club history. Green Machine wingers Savelio Tamale and Xavier Savage were both huge for their side, running for over 200 metres each, while young half Ethan Strange impressed as well. 

76 min: The Raiders receive a penalty in front of the posts and Jamal Fogarty takes the opportunity to add an easy two and lifts his side to an even 30 points.

72 min: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck powers through a couple of attempted tackles to finish neatly in the corner and keep the door slightly ajar for the Warriors. Those comeback hopes aren't helped by another wayward Luke Metcalf conversion though, with the gap remaining 20. 

69 min: Brilliant defensive scramble from the 12-man Raiders to deny a charging James Fisher-Harris and force a knock on over the line. The gap remains 24 with 11 to play. 

65 min: Raiders big man Joseph Tapine is off to the sin bin for a shoulder charge on Mitchell Barnett. The offence also sees Tapine placed on report. Canberra will play with 12 men until the 75th minute. 

59 min: Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad saves the day after coming up with a last-man tackle on Savelio Tamale following a long break, managing to strip the ball one-on-one in the process. 

56 min: It's one-way traffic now as Matthew Timoko burns the Warriors on the outside, breaking through a would-be tackle from Chanel Harris-Tavita before standing up Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad for his 25th career try. The Warriors have no answer for the Green Machine's intensity at the minute. 

53 min: The Raiders have a potential fifth ruled out after Zac Hosking is judged to have obstructed. It instead ends in a penalty for the Warriors. 

45 min: Canberra open the second period with another try. Sebastian Kris joins Xavier Savage in registering a personal double after Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad fails to defuse a towering bomb and the ball is there for the taking close to the line. Fogarty converts from in front and the Raiders stretch their lead to 18 points. 

Half-time: It's the Raiders who are in control at the break 16-4, following first half tries from Sebastian Kris and Xavier Save (two). The Warriors however may actually be feeling relieved to be within two scores after an opening 40 minutes in which they had only 45 percent of the ball and missed 32 tackles. 

38 min: The Warriors get a much-needed breakthrough try via Kurt Capewell, after Adam Pompey breaks free out wide and offloads. It comes after a drop from the Raiders while working their way out of yardage, which gifts their opponents good field position. Luke Metcalf can't convert, so it's 16-4. 

32 min: 90 metres untouched! Xavier Savage has his second try after picking off Luke Metcalf's pass and bolting down field. Jamal Fogarty converts and the Raiders are flying in Vegas. 

27 min: On the back of 63 percent possession the Raiders finally get another, stripping the Warriors for numbers to score through Xavier Savage on the right edge. The kick is wide so it's 10-0 as the final 10 minutes of the half approach. 

20 min: Sebastian Kris comes agonisingly close to getting his and Canberra's second, but he spills it over the line and the Warriors survive. 

14 min: After Canberra challenge an on-field call that Corey Horsburgh took out Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad in mid-air, Nicoll-Klokstad ends up on report for raising his foot in a dangerous manner and the penalty goes the way of the Raiders. 

9 min: The Warriors almost hit back immediately after working their way down field at pace. But Mitchell Barnett gets held up over the line and on the next play Luke Metcalf is tackled on the last. 

6 min: Raiders centre Sebastian Kris opens the scoring after stretching out from a two-man tackle to plant the ball on the line. Although it's initially sent to the Bunker as a no try ruling, review shows Kris retains possession and reaches the line. Jamal Fogarty converts for a 6-0 lead. 

The Raiders hold a 27-25 advantage in the overall head-to-head record against the Warriors. Last season they each claimed a win apiece in two clashes. 

Five points separated these two clubs at the end of the 2024 regular season, with the Raiders finishing ninth, only missing the finals on points differential, and the Warriors 13th. 

Late Mail: A late reshuffle an hour out from kick-off for Canberra sees Josh Papalii start, and Morgan Smithies revert to the bench. 

Three changes an hour from kick-off for the Warriors, all of which are in the pack. Co-captain Mitchell Barnett now starts at lock, with Jackson Ford coming off the interchange to start in the front row and Erin Clark going back to the bench. 

Wigan Warriors v Warrington Wolves, Sunday 8.30am (AEDT) at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas

Full-time: Wigan get home 48-24 in a 12-try feast for the fans at Allegiant Stadium. Bevan French and Jai Field were devastating for the winners.

80 min: Matty Ashton swoops on a Bevan French pass and races 90 metres to ensure Warrington finish on a high. Jai Field comes late in cover but can't stop the flying winger. Josh Thewlis nails his fourth conversion to make it 48-24.

77 min: Harry Smith and Jai Field combine superbly from the back of a scrum to send Liam Marshall over for Wigan's eighth try of the day. Adam Keighran maintains his perfect record (8 from 8) and it's 48-18 to the defending Super League champions.

76 min: The fightback continues as Matt Dufty beats several defenders on a 25-metre run to the tryline. Thewlis again converts to make it 42-18.

68 min: Warrington grab a second when Ben Currie brings down a kick and gets a one-handed offload away to James Harrison for a try. Josh Thewlis adds the extras to make it 42-12.

65 min: Warrington are on the board with a try to teenager Arron Lindop who chases a George Williams grubber and gets it down just inside the dead ball line. 

54 min: It's Bevan French again, splitting the defence and slicing into the back field before finding Tom Forber in support who offloads for Luke Thompson to score. Wigan 42-0.

51 min: Bevan French explodes out of dummy half and makes 50 metres before finding Jai Field in support. The fullback does some dancing and evades a couple of defenders before sending a 20-metre pass out to Jake Wardle for another Wigan try. Adam Keighran again converts from wide out to make it 36-0.

45 min: Jai Field finishes off a Wigan special that featured slick hands and a long run from Liam Marshall who sent the last pass back inside for Field to grab Wigan's fifth. Adam Keighran nails his fifth conversion for a 30-0 lead.

Half-time: Wigan have now conceded just one try in their past six-and-a-half games. The Warriors racked up 765 run metres to the Wolves' 524 in a dominant opening 40 minutes.

37 min: 2023 Man of Steel Bevan French goes to the line and sends the ball back inside to Harry Smith who shows great speed and footwork to score and Wigan blow it out to 24-0.

28 min: Halfback Harry Smith makes a sharp run for Wigan and finds Junior Nsemba who gets an offload away. The ball is spilled backwards and falls to Bevan French who glides over for a four-pointer. Wigan 18-0.

26 min: Prop Luke Thompson leaves the field and is replaced by Sam Walters for Wigan.

23 min: Wigan winger Abbas Miski comes up with a spectacular finish in the right hand corner to grab his team's second try. Despite the best efforts of Matt Dufty in cover, Miski did a superb job to get the ball down. Adam Keighran's final pass for the try was a cracker. Keighran then converts from the sideline for a 12-0 lead.

17 min: The first try of the day goes to Tyler Dupree in his first minute on the field. Wigan's Liam Marshall went high to contest a bomb and the ball fell free for Dupree to pick up the scraps and score. Adam Keighran converts for a 6-0 Wigan lead.

16 min: The first change for Wigan with Tyler Dupree taking the field and Liam Byrne going to the bench.

9 min: Junior Nsemba soars high to pull down a bomb and gets the ball away to Liam Marshall who leaps into the corner to touch down but replays show the ball coming loose as the Wigan winger tries to get it down.

7 min: Toby King gets over the stripe for Warrington but the video referee denies the try after it was ruled Adam Keighran's ball-carrying arm had hit the ground before King stripped the ball off him and plunged over.

6 min: The Warriors explode into the back field but the final pass from fullback Jai Field goes astray.

5 min: Wigan's Liam Byrne is placed on report for a crusher tackle on Lachlan Fitzgibbon but no penalty is awarded.

Wigan have conceded just seven points in their past six Super League matches.

These two foundation clubs were formed in 1895. Wigan are the most successful club in English history with 24 premierships while Warrington have three premierships.

Late Mail: The final 17 for Wigan: Jai Field, Abbas Miski, Adam Keighran, Jake Wardle, Liam Marshall, Bevan French, Harry Smith, Liam Byrne, Kruise Leeming, Luke Thompson, Liam Farrell, Junior Nsemba. Kaide Ellis. Bench: Patrick Mago, Tyler Dupree, Sam Walters, Tom Forber. Replacement player: Zach Eckersley

Warrington's line-up is: Matty Ashton, Jordy Crowther, Ben Currie, Matt Dufty, Lachlan Fitzgibbon, Toby King, Joe Philbin, Sam Powell, Dan Russell, Paul Vaughan, Danny Walker, George Williams, Luke Yates. Bench: Oli Leyland, Arron Lindop, James Harrison, Josh Thewlis.

Chris Kendall will referee the game with Liam Moore the video referee.