Source: Radio New Zealand
Rival halves Tanah Boyd and Ethan Strange will square off, when the Warriors face the Raiders. RNZ/Photosport
NRL: NZ Warriors v Canberra Raiders
Kickoff 8pm, Friday, 13 March
Go Media Stadium, Auckland
Live blog updates on RNZ website
Canberra Raiders will arrive at Mt Smart this week with an even bigger chip on their shoulders than usual.
The ‘Green Machine’ finished top of the NRL table last year, but were bundled out of the championship race with back-to-back defeats in the playoffs.
They start the new season with a renewed determination to go one better in 2026 and NZ Warriors present a stiff early challenge to those aspirations.
With this fixture, the Warriors will have played the Raiders more times than any other NRL team over their history.
Here’s what you need to know about how they shape up:
History
Over 54 previous meetings, Canberra hold a 29-25 head-to-head advantage against the Warriors.
The count is tied 5-5 over the past 10 encounters, dating back to 2021, but the Raiders have won the last three, including both meetings last season, when they finished atop the table.
On a May night when the Warriors were without both co-captains James Fisher-Harris and Mitch Barnett, Canberra prevailed 16-10 at Go Media Stadium.
The home side led 8-0 early and 10-8 with a Luke Metcalf penalty after halftime, but Raiders half Jamal Fogarty scored a try and converted for the gamewinning points in the 64th.
Before that, the Raiders accounted for the Warriors 30-8 in their Las Vegas season-opener, a result that had many picking the Warriors for the wooden spoon.
The Warriors reflect on their 2025 defeat to Canberra at Go Media Stadium. Brett Phibbs/Photosport
The biggest win in the rivalry came in 2000, when Canberra prevailed 56-12 at home, with Laurie Daley, Brett Mullins and Lesley Vainikolo each scoring a try double.
The Warriors’ biggest margin was their 54-12 win at Eden Park, when Shaun Johnson and Manu Vatuvei scored doubles, and Johnson was a perfect 9/9 from the tee.
Form
Both teams opened the 2026 NRL season with wins, but in very different circumstances.
The Warriors flicked the switch midway through the first half, scoring 22 straight points to grab control of their contest against Sydney Roosters at Mt Smart.
While the Roosters scored back-to-back tries in the second half and seemed to have snatched momentum back, the home side held them out for the next 20 minutes, before sealing a 42-18 victory with late tries to Chanel Harris-Tavita and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad.
Meanwhile, Canberra needed a Golden Point field goal from Ethan Sanders to overcome Manly Sea Eagles 29-28 in Sydney, after falling 14-0 in the opening 20 minutes.
Marata Niukore nears a return to play from the Warriors reserves. Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
Both teams were among the competition leaders in set completion last season – the Warriors had 81 percent and Raiders 80 percent. Both were right on those numbers in their season-openers.
Teams
Warriors: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3. Ali Leiataua, 4. Adam Pompey, 5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7. Tanah Boyd, 8. James Fisher-Harris, 9. Wayde Egan, 10. Jackson Ford, 11. Kurt Capewell, 12. Jacob Laban, 13. Erin Clark
Interchange: 14. Sam Healey, 15. Demitric Vaimauga, 16. Leka Halasima, 17. Tanner Stowers-Smith, 18. Taine Tuaupiki, 20. Morgan Gannon
Reserves: 21. Alofiana Khan-Pereira, 22. Marata Niukore, 23. Eddie Ieremia-Toeava
Coach Andrew Webster has been able to field the same line-up as last week, but second-rower Marata Niukore nears a return from calf injury, with his addition to the extend reserves.
Barnett is still at least a week away from selection, after rehabbing his ACL knee injury from last season, while halfback Luke Metcalf is apparently ahead of schedule for his return from the same injury, now projected for round seven or eight.
Raiders: 1. Kaeo Weekes, 2. Savelio Tamale, 3. Simi Sasagi, 4. Seb Kris, 5. Xavier Savage, 6. Ethan Strange, 7. Ethan Sanders, 8. Morgan Smithies, 9. Tom Starling, 10. Joseph Tapine, 11. Hudson Young, 12. Noah Martin, 13. Corey Horsburgh
Interchange: 14. Jayden Brailey, 15. Zac Hosking, 16. Ata Mariota, 17. Matt Timoko, 18. Daine Laurie, 19 Joe Roddy
Reserves: 20. Owen Pattie, 21. Jed Stuart, 22. Chevy Stewart
Veteran front-rower Josh Papalii drops out of last week’s team with concussion, replaced by Englishman Morgan Smithies.
NZ Kiwis centre Matt Timoko played for the Raiders reserves last week, as he works his way back from a foot injury. He is named on the interchange, but don’t be surprised if he gets promoted into the starting line-up.
Ethan Sanders (right) celebrates his winning field goal against Manly. Izhar Khan/Getty Images
Player to watch
With Fogarty moving on to Manly – and almost guiding his new team home over his old one – Stuart has turned to youngster Ethan Sanders as his successor and he came up trumps with his heroics last week.
“He had more pressure on him tonight than any other player on the field,” Stuart observed afterwards. “I thought his game was very mature, well beyond the amount of games he’s played.”
Sanders may be the real deal or teams may simply work out how to nullify him, as they gather more scouting footage of him. Webster and assistant Stacey Jones will have done their homework.
Kiwi player to watch
Hardman Joseph Tapine has taken over leadership of the ‘Green Machine and has the ability to intimidate opposition with his physical approach to the game.
Kiwi Joseph Tapine will spearhead the Raiders’ physical approach. PhotoSport / Brett Phibbs
“He offloads the ball and carries it strong,” Webster said. “He’s a great player and we’ve definitely got to stop guys like him, but there’s a fair few of them – he’s not alone.”
Last time these teams met, Tapine was twice placed on report for dangerous tackles, but somehow avoided the sin bin or suspension. The Warriors must find a way to counter him without losing
their discipline, and the head-to-head between Tapine and James Fisher-Harris will be huge.
What they said
“I think the scoreline flattered us, the video backed it up and the stats backed it up. The way we want to play just wasn’t there in our DNA, but we iced some opportunities and we locked more threatening.”
Warriors coach Andrew Webster on last week’s 42-18 win over the Roosters
“Happens to us a lot.”
Canberra coach Ricky Stuart laments a lopsided penalty count that had his team down early against Manly.
What will happen
The Warriors will continue their solid start to the season with a narrow victory and you can bet it will be the ref’s fault.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
