[Source: NRL/Facebook]

The Toyota Forklifts Canberra Raiders have secured a statement 30-8 victory over the New Zealand Warriors in the 2025 NRL season opener at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas.

No pads, no helmets and no time outs. Round one of the Telstra Premiership kicked off tonight to an electric crowd.

The Raiders didn’t shy away from the intensity in the opening stages, where Seb Kris broke the line of defence to slam the ball down for the first try of the season. Fogarty nailed the extra two points to take a 6-nil lead after five minutes.

Raiders debutant Savelio Tamale and five-eighth Ethan Strange looked dangerous on the left edge, mounting a few attempts at the line, but the Warriors were strong in defence and managed to hold the Raiders off.

Just when you thought the Warriors had weathered the storm, Raiders hooker Tom Starling broke through the middle to run the length of the field, being cut down just short of the line on the left edge.

The Raiders spread the ball out wide to find the overlap and Xavier Savage crossed in the corner, extending the Raiders lead to 10-0.

The Warriors looked to bounce back and attack the Raiders line, a dodgy pass by Warriors halfback Luke Metcalf at the tryline was intercepted by Savage who runs the length of the field untouched to find another try in the right-hand corner. Fogarty converted and the Raiders sit on top at 16-nil.

The Warriors found some breathing room with a breakthrough try from second rower Kurt Capewell which put them on the board. They failed to convert, bringing the score to 16-4.

Not content with the shift in momentum, Hudson Young executed a handy one-on-one strip to come up with the ball from the kick-off just seconds before half time. But the Warriors managed to hold on until the buzzer and the Raiders will hit the lockers with a 12-point lead.

Coming out of the sheds, the Warriors went on the attack and steamed up the middle looking dangerous. But it just wasn’t enough to turn the tide of the green machine as Canberra opened the scoring in the second half, just four minutes in.

A high bomb launched from the Raiders is knocked on by Warriors fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, serving the pill up on a silver platter for Seb Kris who will join Savage in registering his own scoring double. Fogarty converted, where the Raiders led 22-4.

The game seemed to be squarely out of the Warriors’ grasp by the 56th minute as Raiders centre Matthew Timoko sprinted down a razor’s edge on the outside, backing himself every step of the way to find gold in the right-hand corner. Fogarty drills it, extending their lead to 28-4.

In the 65th minute, Raiders prop and captain Joe Tapine was sent to the sinbin for a shoulder charge on Warriors lock Mitchell Barnett.

With eight minutes to go, the Warriors nab their first try of the second half as Roger Tuivasa-Sheck dove over the line in the left corner. Luke Metcalf missed the conversion to the right to make the score 28-8.

To add insult to injury, a penalty awarded to the Raiders in front of the posts saw them opt to take the two points rather than a shot at the line. No news to report as Fogarty slots it again, and the Raiders crack 30.

The Raiders have absolutely hit the jackpot on Sunday night in Vegas; a comprehensive victory which will carry momentum into their round two clash be against the Brisbane Broncos at GIO Stadium.

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