NZ Warriors vs Sydney Roosters | Round 1 | 2026
Friday 6 March 2026 | Kick-off 8:00pm | Go Media Stadium, Penrose, Auckland
The 2026 NRL season kicks off at Go Media Stadium with a blockbuster Friday night clash as the One NZ Warriors host the Sydney Roosters in Round 1. There’s no easing into things for Andrew Webster’s men — it’s the Tricolours from game one, and Go Media Stadium is going to be rocking.
The Rivalry Is Real — And It’s Personal
Results have been split almost evenly between these two clubs historically, with the Roosters winning 24, the Warriors winning 22, and one match drawn from the 47 they’ve played. But this is a rivalry with recent baggage. The Roosters won eight straight from 2018, including their only two meetings in Auckland in that time: 32–0 in 2018 and 14–0 in 2023.
Then came 2025. With the Roosters arriving at Go Media Stadium in Round 3 as heavy favourites, the Warriors flipped the script. Chanel Harris-Tavita put up a chip kick and flew high to bring it down and score, before Ali Leiataua surged into a hole from close range and dotted down for his second try to seal a 14–6 Warriors win in front of 23,219 fans. Eight straight losses erased. Scores levelled. Bragging rights reclaimed.
The year before told a very different story. A rampaging Roosters side scored four tries in the first 13 minutes on their way to a 38–18 win in Sydney in Round 10 of 2024 — a result that felt like a statement at the time. Now the Warriors have answered it.
What to Expect on the Night
This is the season opener for both sides — Round 1, no warm-up, full intensity from the first whistle. The Warriors face off against the Roosters in their first home match of the 2026 NRL season on Friday 6 March, with kick-off at 8pm.
Go Media Stadium has no onsite parking, so the advice is simple: get there on public transport. The nearest train station is Penrose, from there it is around a 15-minute walk to the stadium. Gates open at 6pm with the box office at Gate B. Road closures around the venue begin from 6:30pm on Beasley Avenue and Maurice Road.
Buy tickets via Ticketmaster →
Will the Warriors Make It Back-to-Back Home Wins Over the Roosters?
Last year’s win snapped a long and painful streak. Now the Roosters will be coming to Auckland in 2026 with a point to prove — and the Warriors will have a sold-out stadium willing them to do it again.
38–18. 14–6. The scorelines tell the story of a rivalry that could go either way on the night. Don’t be the one watching from home.
