Young gun to end 18-month wait as Burton cleared for take-off

Cowboys young gun Tom Chester is set for his first game since September 2024 while Matt Burton has been cleared to start for the Bulldogs in the NRL's season-opening extravaganza in Las Vegas.

Chester ruptured his ACL in the 2025 pre-season and has spent the past year sidelined as he completed the lengthy recovery process.

A minor setback forced him to miss the Cowboys Witzer Pre-Season Challenge matches but he has been named in the centres for his side's clash with Newcastle at Allegiant Stadium.

Chester comes in for Zac Laybutt, who received a two-week suspension during the pre-season.

Cowboys coach Todd Payten said Chester can make an instant impact despite the lengthy layoff.

"Everyone's looking forward to watching him play," Payten said. "We'd love him to punch out 15 games straight. He was going great before he hurt himself with that minor indiscretion.

"We gave him a two-week break, he's tracking along well now and has managed to get a week and a half training under his belt at full-tilt. I've got no worries about him, I'm super excited about how he's going to play.

"The boys love having him in the team, he's brought a great amount of energy here everyday and we just want to see him play football."

The 24-year-old will be joined in the team by Heilum Luki, who spent the 2025 season recovering from an ACL injury alongside Chester.

Luki made a successful return to the field in the pre-season and starts in the back-row on Sunday.

Heilum Luki Try

Meanwhile, Jake Clifford has won the race for the Cowboys five-eighth role and will partner Tom Dearden in the halves, with young gun Jaxon Purdue lining up in the centres.

North Queensland will take on a new-look Newcastle side led by captain Kalyn Ponga.

The fullback also sat out the pre-season as he recovered from a serious foot injury suffered last June but has been cleared for take-off in Vegas.

Fletcher Sharpe has earned the chance to partner marquee recruit Dylan Brown in the halves and will start at five-eighth, with Brown at halfback.

Fletcher Sharpe's 2025 try-scoring season

Sandon Smith will come off the bench in jumper No.14, while New Zealand hooker Phoenix Crossland starts at dummy half.

English Super League clubs Hull KR and Leeds will kick off the triple-header before Newcastle take on North Queensland.

The final game of the bumper slate will see Canterbury face St George Illawarra, with Burton overcoming a minor hamstring injury suffered in the pre-season.

The playmaker has been named in the No.6 jumper and will partner Lachlan Galvin in the halves.

Concern for Matt Burton

Burton limped from the field in his side’s pre-season win over the Knights but scans cleared him of serious injury and he is now on track to line up at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday.

The 25-year-old has already turned plenty of heads in the US with his booming left boot and he is set to put on another kicking display this weekend.

There were few other surprises in Canterbury’s side, with Jacob Kiraz named on the wing after overcoming a leg injury and Bailey Hayward to start at hooker.

The Bulldogs will take on a Dragons squad led by halfback Dan Atkinson in his first official game for the club.

Atkinson links up with Kyle Flanagan in the halves, while winger Setu Tu will make his NRL debut after spending multiple years in the Warriors reserve grade side.

Josh Kerr will come off the bench after missing the recent All Stars match with an ankle injury, with Emre Guler and Toby Couchman the starting props.

Catch all the action from the NRL's season opener at Allegiant Stadium LIVE on Fox Sports, Kayo, Nine and WatchNRL.

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