Welcome to The Furnace!
In this weekly preview, foxsports.com.au will dissect every game by looking at each team’s burning question.
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From how closely we should read into pre-season form to the biggest stars with the most to prove, here is what we will be watching for in Round 2!
THURSDAY MARCH 13
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS v DOLPHINS
8:00pm AEDT, McDonald Jones Stadium
Knights’ burning question: How long will Adam O’Brien keep faith in his halves?
They may have got the win in Round 1 but the 10-8 comeback victory for the Knights was anything but inspiring, especially in attack. New halves pairing Jack Cogger and Fletcher Sharpe were solid, but O’Brien refused to guarantee them any set amount of time in the saddle, unless they perform. Sharpe was impressive with his running game with 126 metres and 10 tackle busts to go with two linebreaks and a try, to show he is worth persisting with in the halves. Cogger had 43 run metres and was solid in defence with 14 tackles, but he also made an error and had zero try or linebreak involvements. If Sharpe is there to take the pressure off Kalyn Ponga with his running game, Cogger needs to do more to set up his teammates with his passing and kicking games, while his kicking for metres needs to be on point. The Knights have plenty of firepower out wide, so it is up to the halves to create more try-scoring opportunities for their teammates. If they don’t Will Pryce, who impressed in reserve grade and Tyson Galble when he returns from injury loom as options in the halves. Jackson Hastings is another option, but his cards appear marked. One thing is for sure Dylan Brown’s arrival on a $13 million 10-year deal has all Newcaslte playmakers playing for their futures in 2025.
Dolphins’ burning question: Do the Dolphins have the depth to cover for injuries?
The Dolphins have copped a couple of key injuries in the forwards with Kulikefu Finefeuiaki (concussion) and Connelly Lemuelu (fractured eye socket) sidelined, which will test their forwards depth early in the season. Oryn Keeley and Max Plath form a young second row partnership, while Felise Kaufusi again starts up front in a new look Dolphins pack. Luckily they do get Mark Nicholls back after he sat out with Kodi Nikorima due to Cyclone Alfred, but the Dolphins will have their work cut out for them against a strong Knights pack. Daniel Saifiti will have plenty to play for coming up against his old team and will want to show the Knights they made a mistake letting him go. It is up to the experienced members of the Dolphins pack to step up in the absence of their injured stars or the season could get away from them if they don’t bank some early wins. If that happens the Wayne Bennett curse will rear its ugly head and put Kristian Woolf under more pressure after the master coach’s departure.
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FRIDAY MARCH 7
NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS v MANLY SEA EAGLES
6pm AEDT, Go Media Stadium
Warriors’ burning question: Will their spine click or does it need a reshuffle?
Andrew Webster has kept faith with his new halves pairing of Chanel Harris-Tavita at five-eighth and Luke Metcalf at halfback, with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad at fullback and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck on the wing for Round 2. It is a fair call given one game in Vegas is not a fair sample size to shelve a plan they spent all off-season working on, but it still remains to be seen if it is the best balance for the side. Te Maire Martin put in some excellent shifts at halfback last year and Metcalf’s best footy in first grade has come at five-eighth. It remains to be seen if the Warriors have the kicking game to compete with the likes of Daly Cherry-Evans and Manly, with Metcalf and Harris-Tavita in the halves. The decision on Tuivasa-Sheck is even more confounding. From the outside looking in the Warriors lose nothing in shifting Nicoll-Klokstad to centre, but are potentially missing out on an amazing attacking weapon by keeping Tuibvasa-Sheck on the wing and out of the fullback role. If you have won a Dally M Medal at fullback, you obviously offer a fair bit in the No.1 and if the Warriors keep losing, Webster will surely have to have a rethink of his spine.
Sea Eagles’ burning question: Can Manly maintain the rage after perfect start?
Apart from the Broncos, Manly were arguably the most impressive team in Round 1 after demolishing the Cowboys 42-12. But as Daly Cherry-Evans said, it is just a good start and Manly have a history of being inconsistent in recent seasons. Sio Siua Taukeiaho is out with a knee injury after just one game, so the onus is on Josh Aloiai to step up in his absence. Manly have a devastating backline with DCE and Brooks in the halves and Tom Trboevic, Jason Saab and Lehi Hopoate out wide, but they need their forwards to continue to set the platform up front. Haumole Olakau’atu was immense against the Cowboys, but the Warriors away from home will be a tougher test and Manly can’t get complacent. If they want to be a legitimate contender in 2025, Manly need to find consistency early and bank wins, especially with five of their first seven games at home.
PENRITH PANTHERS v SYDNEY ROOSTERS
8pm AEDT, CommBank Stadium
Panthers’ burning question: How long can Ivan Cleary keep Blaize Talagi out of the team?
Remarkably the biggest problem Ivan Cleary has is how to fit all his talented players in the 17. Blaize Talagi was brought to the club as a star signing to cover for the loss of Jarome Luai, but a shoulder injury has given Jack Cole the jump in the race to the No.6 jersey. Cole looks a solid player and has more reps in the halves, but Talagi is an awesome talent and he wouldn’t have left the Eels to play reserve grade. Whether Talagi gets a run in the centres with Paul Alamoti shifting to the wing to get him some footy in the coming weeks remains to be seen. Cole will have to slip up or the Panthers start losing to justify dropping him at this stage, while Talagi reportedly has a lot of learning to do to become a consistent NRL playmaker. Cleary may have to get him in the team either in the centres or on the bench to get his confidence up after his shoulder injury, while trying to get him up to speed at five-eighth at training. But if he is the long-term solution at No.6 the best experience he can get is playing in the jersey.
Roosters’ burning question: How can they reverse their Round 1 shambles against their bogey team?
The Roosters were the biggest disappointments in Round 1 after their 50-14 thrashing by the Broncos and things can’t get much tougher against the four-time reigning premiers next up. The Roosters have beaten the Panthers and Storm just once in their last 20-odd games, so it is hard to see them beating Penrith given their horror record in recent matches between the two sides. However, Trent Robinson’s men need to show a lot more commitment and as he put it “smarts” in defence to give Roosters fans some hope for the season ahead. Not helping matters is the loss of veteran forward Victor Radley to concussion, while the young centre pairing of Mark Nawaqanitawase and Robert Toia have a lot of work to do on their edge defence with Nat Butcher still sidelined. Halves Sandon Smith and Chad Townsend have a huge task to create opportunities to score enough points to beat the Panthers, given Sam Walker and Luke Keary struggled to do so. But unless the Roosters can get back closer to their famed brick wall of defence, this could be a long night at the office against Penrith.
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SATURDAY MARCH 8
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS v SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
3pm AEDT, WIN Stadium
Dragons burning question: Can their forwards hold their own until the cavalry arrives?
The Dragons were already looking pretty thin in the forwards before the season, with Francis Molo negotiating a release after a falling out with a staff member. Then Ryan Couchman suffered an ACL injury in the first game of the season. The club can’t sign David Klemmer form the Tigers until they offload a player from their top 30, which is why Mikaele Ravalawa has been linked to the Rabbitohs. Toby Couchman and Emre Guler are the starting props against Souths, while Blake Lawrie makes a timely return from a hamstring injury on the bench. The Dragons showed in the second half against the Bulldogs that they have some firepower in their backline, but they were blown apart in the middle in Round 1 and unless they can unearth some forwards or sign some, it could be a long year for Shane Flanagan’s men.
Rabbitohs’ burning question: Do Souths have the depth to weather outside backs crisis?
Souths were already without winger Alex Johnston to start the season and now Tyrone Munro has suffered another collarbone injury that will sideline him for around two months, meaning Bayleigh Bentley-Hape will debut on the wing against the Dragons. Adding to their outside back depth crisis, Jack Wighton is suspended, with Fletcher Myers coming into the centres. Meanwhile, Latrell MItchell and Euan Aitken are also sidelined with injury. There could be cohesion issues against the Dragons, so Souths will likely have to win the game on effort over finesse. Souths showed plenty of ticker to get the job done in Round 1, but the Dolphins were depleted, so they will have to be on their game to beat a Dragons side smarting from their loss to the Bulldogs. Souths arguably have the Dragons covered in the forwards, but how their new look backline clicks could ultimately decide the result.
NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS v CRONULLA SHARKS
5:30pm AEDT, Queensland Country Bank Stadium
Cowboys’ burning question: Will Nanai’s demotion spark a defensive turnaround or could it be a disaster?
Cowboys coach Todd Payten wasted no time in taking action for his side’s poor Round 1 loss to Manly, cutting Origin forward Jeremiah Nanai. After missing four missed tackles last week, Nanai has been relegated to the Queensland Cup, with Payten citing defence as the issue. “Jeremiah is an elite attacking player but needs to improve some defensive parts of his game,” Payten said. “He’s going to get some time in the Q Cup, which was not an easy decision. But I felt it was important for the group that if we want to improve as a team, defence is first and foremost.” He has replaced Nanai with new recruit Kai O’Donnell, in what could be a bold move right out of the gates. With the pressure on for Payten following a number of inconsistent seasons under his tutelage, he certainly couldn’t rest on his laurels, but whether dropping one player is enough to make a difference is yet to be seen. Cronulla – fresh off their Round 1 trip to Vegas – will no doubt provide quite the defensive challenge for the Cowboys, as they also look to enter the winner’s circle for the first time in 2025.
Sharks’ burning question: Where do the Sharks actually stand this year?
All the talk after Round 1 has centred on the red-hot performances of the Penrith Panthers, Brisbane Broncos and Melbourne Storm. It’s early days but the benchmark is being formed. For Cronulla, they played strongly against the Panthers in Vegas, falling just short, 28-22. But they aren’t being viewed in the same light as the reigning premiers, the Broncos, the Storm. They didn’t show enough spark or pack enough of a punch to close out that game in the US and they will need to start taking those steps forward to show how close they stand to the top this year. With an unchanged 17 this Saturday, Matty Johns wants to see more from Cronulla. “I want to see more from the Sharkies,” Johns said. “When I watch a side for the first time of the year, in Round 1, I don’t want to see a team that’s picked up where they’ve left off… In those really vital moments… they have to start nailing those games.” With North Queensland struggling to get started last week, the Sharks have a real opportunity to make a statement this week and to send a message to the rest of the competition that they belong in the same conversation as the other top contenders for 2025.
CANBERRA RAIDERS v BRISBANE BRONCOS
7:35pm AEDT, GIO Stadium
Raiders’ burning question: How much pressure is Jamal Fogarty under?
Canberra enjoyed a thumping season-opening victory over the Warriors in Vegas but despite the 30-8 scoreline, Fogarty was quiet. Fogarty, 31, made three errors and ran the ball only twice for 16 metres, but he did produce 27 tackles with just one miss. Raiders coach Ricky Stuart signed Ethan Sanders on a three-year deal from the Eels on the promise of greater first grade opportunities given he was stuck behind Mitch Moses. If the quiet games from Fogarty start mounting up then Sanders’ opportunity in the No. 7 could be just around the corner.
There is an option in Fogarty’s contract in the club’s favour for 2026 and it has to be triggered by Round 6. It means the veteran halfback has just four games to prove to Stuart that he deserves to stay in the capital. “I want to play in the NRL as long as I can and I would like for that to be in Canberra, that’s up to the club,” Fogarty said in the pre-season. “But hopefully, I get a nice green tick from them in Round 6.”
Broncos burning question: Can they turn their red-hot start into consistent form?
The burning question posed last week was, can the Broncos live up to the hype? Give ‘em a tick. Not only did they live up to the hype with their Round 1 showing against the Sydney Roosters, but they exceeded it. There has been a lot of talk around the Ben Hunt and Adam Reynolds combination, the recall of Cory Paix, and the incredible form of forwards duo Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan. They’ve set an early standard but the key for the Broncos now is to prove it wasn’t a fluke. They missed out on finals last year due to an inconsistent season, starting the year with a loss-win-loss-win-loss pattern in their opening month. Given the toll that State of Origin always takes on the Brisbane club midway through the year, maintaining the rage and setting a strong platform over the opening rounds will now be paramount. Michael Maguire certainly has the team firing after a tough pre-season and has also managed to name the same 17 as last week, which will no doubt boost Brisbane’s ability to find that consistency. But the young guns will also need to keep their wits about them and not get ahead of themselves while the likes of Reynolds and Hunt need to stay healthy to ensure the Broncos can keep going from strength to strength and not fall into similar patterns from 2024.
Brown NRL’s ‘most contentious signing?’ | 02:22
SUNDAY MARCH 9
PARRAMATTA EELS v WESTS TIGERS
4.05pm AEDT, CommBank Stadium
Eels’ burning question: What impact will Dylan Brown’s future move to Newcastle have on Parramatta’s performance?
Brown’s $14 million, 10-year deal to join the Knights from 2026 has dominated news headlines this week. Fresh off a Round 1 shellacking against the Melbourne Storm – in which Parramatta leaked 46 points in the first half alone – more attention could be the last thing the Eels wanted. The challenge now is not just to turn around their form against last year’s wooden spooners – with both teams no doubt desperate to get on the board – but to also avoid getting sidetracked by the extra attention. Five-eighth Brown will also have to show fans and critics alike that he remains fully focused on Parramatta for the season ahead, which can always be a hurdle for those players who announce future deals early in the year. He made that promise to fans on Instagram on Monday, posting: “To the Blue and Gold family… nothing changes. I’m locked in for this year and we have a job to do. Love.” But now the pressure will be on to deliver.
Tigers’ burning question: Can Jarome Luai show the direction needed as the team’s halfback?
The pressure was always going to be high for Jarome Luai after he chose to step out of Nathan Cleary’s shadow at the Panthers and join the Tigers this year. And, once again, all eyes will be on him this Sunday as the Tigers look to put last week’s opening loss behind them to get their first points of the season. Given Parramatta’s own form, the expectations are high and after his fumble against the Knights in Round 1 – which changed the momentum of the game – Luai will need to step up to deliver a victory. Former playmaker Cooper Cronk said this week that the four-time champion needs to understand the difference between being a five-eighth at a successful club and being a halfback with a club in a rebuilding phase. “Those 20 more decisions that Jarome has to make is going to have an impact when (the Tigers) are not defending well, when they’re making errors, when their discipline is poor,” Cronk said on Matty and Cronk. “There’s a lot more challenges for Jarome, obviously, but that’s a bit of the halfback verse five-eighth mentality.” One boost for Luai as he looks to step up that responsibility should be the return of veteran hooker Api Koroisau (suspension), who will bring experience and direction to the spine.
CANTERBURY BULLDOGS v GOLD COAST TITANS
6.15pm AEDT, Belmore Sports Ground
Bulldogs burning question: Can they win the gritty games?
The soccer expression “Can they do it on a cold, rainy night in Stoke?” can be applied to the Bulldogs this weekend. The 6:15pm slot on a Sunday is hardly primetime – you won’t see the Broncos playing there anytime soon – and the Titans aren’t exactly a competition heavyweight. It’s easy for Canterbury to get up for clashes against arch rivals Parramatta or the NRL pacesetters Penrith and Melbourne, but every round is worth two points and these are the gritty games sides need to win to set themselves up for the most comfortable run in September. The Dogs produced a solid season-openin win over the Dragons last weekend but now they need to back it up. The last thing Cameron Ciraldo will want to do at the end of the regular season is look back on a Round 2 loss to the Titans that cost his side a top-four spot.
Titans’ burning question: Will their new look spine click?
In their second year under Des Hasler, the Titans will feel the weight of expectation as they look to jump from last season’s 14th place finish to finals contenders. To do so, they need a strong and consistent spine and Hasler feels he has landed on that combination ahead of their season-opener against the Bulldogs on Sunday. After enjoying a Round 1 bye, the Titans will showcase their line-up of AJ Brimson and Jayden Campbell together in the halves with Keano Kini at the back and Sam Verrills at No.9. The experienced mentor is highly confident in the new combination, backing their ability under the rule changes that have come in over recent seasons. “They’re ready for it. They’ve worked pretty hard in the off-season,” he said. “The rules and how much the game has changed with the six-agains and the appetite for attack and repeat attack… you never know when that’s going to happen. When you’ve got three people like Keano, AJ and JC, it should be interesting.” The Titans have had to do a lot of chopping and changing throughout their spine in recent years, due to injuries and form, but with Hasler set on this new-look line-up, it is time for them to deliver. All eyes on Sunday will also be on skipper Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, who returns from a year on the sideline with an ACL injury, and the impact he can make for his team.
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