Live: Walsh hobbled as Warriors host Broncos in wet and windy Auckland

The Broncos have a full set from 10m out.

And by the second they are in reach of the line.

It’s recycled through Adam Reynolds and they’re back to 20m from the try-line.

An attempted kick through the line isn’t effective and it holds up in the wet turf.

The Warriors start again and kick deep into Brisbane territory on the last.

And it’s spilled by Selwyn Cobbo! The Warriors get a fresh six.

Both sets of players are clearly struggling to get a grip of the ball in these wild, wet and windy conditions.

The Warriors are in the ascendency after that initial spell of Broncos pressure.

Adam Reynolds gives away what must be his third penalty and the Warriors start again 15m out.

Reynolds is given an unofficial warning and on the last of the resulting set Chanel Harris-Tavita shanks a kick along the wet surface that is knocked on by a Broncos body and the Warrior continue to push forward.

New Zealand then finds itself on the precipice of the Broncos line but Wayde Egan is well tackled on the last.

The Broncos have a chance to rebuild for what feels like the first time in a while.

The Warriors are having their first spell of possession, on the back of a cheap Brisbane penalty deep in New Zealand’s territory.

The hosts are making their way forward and it’s a high kick that is parried up by a Warriors body – it looks like it went forward but the Warriors play on.

Mitchell Barnett pounces on it and puts it down in the Broncos goal area…but it has gone to the bunker and the try won’t stand.

Billy Walters, back in the side, sells a couple Warriors with a deft dummy five metres out from the try-line.

He charges through and lays it down with ease.

It comes off the back of an Adam Pompey error – he dropped a high kick just out from his line to give the visitors a fresh set of six.

Adam Reynolds converts an easy one – straight in front and 15m back.

6-0 Broncos.

The worst possible start for Brisbane.

The star fullback is in trouble, holding his hamstring and getting some treatment.

It’s quite a scene out there.

The rain is coming down and the winds are blowing.

Adam Pompey, playing his 100th game, smashes the ball forward from kick-off.

Reece Walsh gathers and is absolutely leathered on tackle one.

It now feels wild to think that Reece Walsh, the prince of Queensland and face of the Broncos, once plied his trade on the other side of the ditch.

But he certainly was once a Warrior – and, although he’s been a Bronco since 2023, this is his first match in Auckland in maroon.

Michael Maguire, too, has had his fair share of involvement in Kiwi rugby league, coaching the NZ national team for five years up until 2023.

Kick-off is only moments away.

Today’s game marks the first start for the Warriors’ Leka Halasima.

Coming through as a prop, he made his debut off the bench as an 18-year-old last year and was thrust into the centres where he excelled.

And this year he already has a contender for try of the year, and it was a match-winner.

Today he starts for the first time in his young NRL career, named in the back row for the depleted Warriors.

This kid could be anything, and I still don’t know what his best position is, but he’s a real ‘give him the ball and get out of the way’ kinda guy.

The Broncos should test his defence in that all-important spot four in from the sideline, so it will be another big test for the fleet-footed teenager.

Cheers for joining us.

Yeah, feels like this one could go either way!

A parochial Auckland crowd could well be the difference.

It was a Good Friday in name only for the Rabbitohs yesterday, going down 32-0 to the Bulldogs in front of the largest ever regular season crowd at Stadium Australia.

And it seemed all too much for Rabbitohs star Jai Arrow.

He was involved in what looked to be quite a fiery exchange with a Canterbury-Bankstown fan.

After the incident, Arrow told the Sydney Morning Herald that “passion got the better of me,” while Souths coach Wayne Bennett assured the press he had no knowledge of the altercation.

Catch up on all the drama courtesy of Chris De Silva and AAP.

The Melbourne Storm have been the presumptive favourites for the 2025 premiership basically since the siren sounded in last year’s grand final.

The Panthers’ losing streak seemed to only further that favouritism, but no-one told the Canterbury Bulldogs, who made it six from six with a dominant 32-0 win over Souths yesterday.

While the second-placed Storm have conceded 136 points through six games (22.7 per game), the Bulldogs have shipped less than half as many (58 total — 9.7 average).

If defence wins premierships, the Dogs look better than anyone after conceding just three tries for a grand total of 14 points in their past four matches, including two straight shut-outs.

It should be said that Cameron Ciraldo’s men have a pretty gentle draw to start the season, but they also pulled off this winning streak despite stars Matt Burton and Viliame Kikau sitting out half their games.

They’re the real deal, but the easier start to the season means their run from round 17 into the finals is rough, including two games against the Panthers (who I assume will have figured some things out by then), one against the Broncos, one against the Storm and one against the Sharks.

The good news for them, though, is they only have to leave Sydney twice in those 11 weeks.

They’ll either be beaten to hell or battle-hardened come playoff time.

Returning Bulldogs forward Viliame Kikau wasted no time in making his presence felt back on the field – he was hit with a reckless high tackle charge and a fine of $1800 with an early guilty plea.

Melbourne’s Tui Kamikamica was also pinged for an $1800 fine for his high tackle on the Dolphins’ Herbie Farnworth.

And Rabbitoh Davvy Moale as well as Storm fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen were hit with dangerous contact offenses and a $1000 fine with an early guilty plea.

 The Broncos have lost Jack Gosiewski to both injury and suspension but welcome back Jordan Riki after his one game ban.

For the Warriors, James Fisher-Harris’ pectoral injury means Jackson Ford goes to the front row while Ed Kosi comes in on the wing. Taine Tuaupiki moves to fullback with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad missing the tie through concussion protocol.

It was quite the spectacle last night at Lang Park.

Three early tries had the second-placed Storm cruising and 16-2 up halfway through the first period.

But no fewer than seven straight Dolphins tries saw the Redcliffe-based side roar back to win 42-22.

For the Dolphins, it was their third victory on the trot and the most emphatic underlining of their top-eight credentials so far this season.

Meanwhile, the Storm let slip of a golden opportunity to put some breathing space between themselves in second and the chasing pack.

They remain on 10 points, while six teams directly below them are all tied on eight.

Two of those teams – the Broncos and the Warriors – take to the field this afternoon.

Both sides will be looking to get back to winning ways after disappointing losses last time out.

The lack of players’ names on the back of jerseys has baffled NRL fans for years, but we’re getting a glorious glimpse at them thanks to the Broncos in Auckland:

Well, more specifically, New Zealand’s rules around gambling advertising have forced the Broncos to wipe the Star Casino ad from the top of their jersey, so they’ve replaced it with player names.

As a former live stats man and current blogger, this is useful. As a rugby league fan, this is glorious.

Hello and welcome to Easter Saturday, the awkward stepchild between Good Friday, Easter Sunday and the public holiday.

This afternoon we have two sensational clashes, with the Broncos in Auckland to take on the Warriors for a chance to go second.

After that, the Panther seek revenge against the Roosters, the team that started the premiers’ current five-game losing streak.

I’m Jon Healy and I’ll be joined by Henry Hanson to bring you all the latest from both games, so please stick around and leave your comments up the top.