Forecast for the Sydney Roosters versus Penrith Panthers match: Disregard neither team.

Sydney initiates an exciting Easter weekend of NRL matches, with fans in Australia’s biggest city benefiting from carefully arranged fixtures. The inaugural round presents an enthralling showdown between the Roosters and the Panthers, both anticipated to vie for top positions as the season unfolds.

The Sydney Roosters put on an impressive display during Friday night’s match, particularly noteworthy as they celebrated Jared Waerea-Hargreaves’ 300th game in a Sydney derby showdown. They dominated the field, securing a resounding 48-6 victory over Souths, marking the latter’s third loss of the season. Despite the absence of Luke Keary, the young halves pairing of Sam Walker and Sandon Smith effectively controlled the game, with Walker scoring two tries and Smith contributing two try assists. Dom Young showcased his speed and agility with four line breaks and a try, while James Tedesco and Joey Manu each scored two tries. The Roosters’ defense stood strong, conceding only one try to Souths despite facing pressure with 30 tackles inside their own 20 meters. However, despite his commendable performance, Sandon Smith has been benched with Luke Keary’s return. Terrell May has been promoted to the starting lineup due to Lindsay Collins’ hamstring injury, with Egan Butcher moving to the bench.

The Penrith Panthers, confident after their grand final victory last year, had a comfortable win over the Brisbane Broncos, leading 22-2 at halftime and finishing with a 34-12 victory. Nathan Cleary played a pivotal role, orchestrating the Panthers’ attacks and contributing to Isak Tago’s double and Sunia Turuva’s try before halftime. Cleary’s performance included three try assists, three linebreak assists, and one linebreak. However, Cleary is expected to be sidelined for up to a month, with Brad Schneider stepping in. Additionally, Scott Sorensen’s absence for a month has led to Luke Garner’s promotion. Mavrik Geyer, son of Penrith legend Mark Geyer, is set to make his debut from the interchange bench this week. Unfortunately, James Fisher-Harris remains sidelined due to a shoulder injury.