Match Centre

Round 1: Dolphins v Roosters preview

New boys Dolphins face tough challenge in Roosters in their inaugural game

Suncorp Stadium will be the backdrop for one of the most historical games in NRL history when The Dolphins host the Sydney Roosters in their respective season openers. It will be the penultimate game of Round 1, with the Sunday afternoon fixture playing homage to the late Arthur Beetson, whose dream of an NRL Dolphins side will finally come true.

All eyes will be on whether Wayne Bennett's Dolphins team can live up to the occasion. They've had a little over a year to scramble together an NRL set-up, so they're still very much an unknown quantity. With many stars turning down offers from the Redcliffe-based club throughout 2022, there are plenty of doubters that believe The Dolphins are set to crash and burn in 2023.

One thing is for sure - the 17 players that take to the field will be out to prove those people wrong. Will they come out swinging, or get rolled by a strong Roosters outfit?

Finishing the NRL's Pre-Season Challenge in 14th, The Dolphins' first ever NRL trial period delivered mixed results. Starting with a bang against the Capras in their first outing in an NRL jersey, The Dolphins will look to continue strengthening ties with Central Queensland throughout 2023 through their partnership with the Capras. A hard-fought 22-all draw against the Cowboys in Cairns showed that their young players have plenty of promise, but a worrying performance against the Gold Coast just a week later shows just how hard 2023 may be for The Dolphins.

In big team news for The Dolphins, Anthony Milford has been overlooked for a spot in the 17. Katoa is poised to make his NRL debut alongside former Panther O'Sullivan in the halves. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow has won the fullback jersey for now.

The Sydney Roosters enter 2023 with their eyes on the prize. The major signing of Brandon Smith combined with a star-studded backline and a Sam Walker who is rapidly learning and improving his game leaves plenty for Easts fans to be excited about. A 6th place finish in 2022 wasn't good enough, but it was injuries who were their biggest opponent last season. So with a near-full strength squad ready to take on The Dolphins in Round 1, the Roosters will be confident of starting their campaign with a win.

The Roosters split their two pre-season hit-outs, coming out victorious against Melbourne in Geelong, and then falling to Manly in Gosford. A tenth-place finish in the NRL's Pre-Season Challenge will be all but irrelevant to Trent Robinson, with the trials certainly achieving his goal of testing combinations and thrusting some young up-and-comers into the spotlight.

WIth Joey Manu out through a facial injury, Corey Allan will slot into the centres in his first outing for the Roosters. Angus Crichton and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves are missing from the Sydney forward pack, so the pairing of Egan and Nat Butcher in the back-row will be holding a lot of responsibility.

The Sydney Roosters have won three of the past four games they've played at Suncorp Stadium, and Roosters fans expect to record another victory at the ground this Sunday.

Last meeting: first meeting between these clubs.

Who to watch: After five seasons for Canterbury-Bankstown, Jeremy Marshall-King heads to Redcliffe looking for a new beginning. At 27 years old, Marshall-King played an important role in New Zealand's World Cup campaign last year. As quite possibly the only tried and tested hooker at an NRL level in the Dolphins side, a lot of weight is on his shoulders heading into the club's debut season. Expect him to play 80 minutes this Sunday.

In 2021, Sam Walker enjoyed his breakout season, with injuries at the Sydney Roosters allowing him to show the competition what he could do. But it's now 2023, and as the club's consistent starting halfback, nothing but excellence will be accepted. Lining up alongside three-time premiership winner and former Kangaroo Luke Keary, the halves combination at the Roosters creates plenty of cause for excitement. At just 20 years of age, can Walker deal with the pressure and perform like we know he can?

The favourite: The Sydney Roosters are the strong favourite to start their season on a high - they're expected to trounce an inexperienced Dolphins side.

My tip: The Dolphins will be primed to come out swinging, and I think they have a good shot of catching Sydney off guard in the opening round. Dolphins by 2.