<p>The headline fixture of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/nrl/predictions/pacific-championships-round-1-tips-2025">Round 1 of the 2025 Pacific Championships</a> sees the New Zealand Kiwi’s take on Toa Samoa in a clash of epic proportions.</p> <p>Two of the most talented sides of the entire Championships, particularly in the engine room, there’s plenty of buzz about both of these nations.</p> <p>From defecting Kangaroos, to retiring legends, there’s storylines galore ahead of this Pacific Cup opener.</p> <p>Check out our New Zealand vs Samoa across a host of markets. From H2H to anytime try scorer and everything in between.&nbsp;</p> <p>Looking for all the latest squad news, analysis, odds, and betting tips ahead of this Pacific Championships clash? Check out our New Zealand vs Samoa prediction below.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>New Zealand vs Samoa Prediction and Betting Tips</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Head-to-Head Prediction</h3> <p>Oh my. What a game we have here. The headline fixture of the Pacific Championships Round 1 sees defending champions New Zealand welcome Samoa to Go Media Stadium in Auckland.</p> <p>This is the battle of the big boys in every sense of the word with two of the most ferocious forward packs ever named, set to collide on October 19.</p> <p>As previously mentioned, having confirmed his defection from the Kangaroos, Broncos’ enforcer Haas joins a power-packed Tongan front row with Raiders’ veteran Josh Papalii and Parramatta steam train Junior Paulo.</p> <p>They’ll be running it straight into the waiting arms, shoulders and upper bodies of Kiwi captain James Fisher-Harris, Melbourne man mountain Nelson Asofa-Solomona and four-time premiership winning Panthers prop Moses Leota.</p> <p>This Pacific Championships will also serve as the swansong for retiring Titans playmaker Kieran Foran, who will step into the halves for the injured Jahrome Hughes.</p> <p>He’ll be joined by Newcastle’s new million-dollar man Dylan Brown as they try and outwit and outmanoeuvre Former Panther lynchpin Jarome Luai and the man who replaced him at the foot of the mountains Blaize Talagi.</p> <p>The attacking flair for both sides doesn’t end there with Brian To’o, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Izack Tago all set to star for Samoa and Ronaldo Mulitalo, Jamayne Isaako and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad out to fight fire with fire for the Kiwis.</p> <p>In terms of picking a winner here, we’re actually going to side with Samoa. Yes New Zealand are the defending champs and have home ground advantage here, but there’s now two ways about it, the Samoan squad is simply stacked.</p> <p>We’re backing them to upset NZ on their own patch here and then make a run at the overall Pacific Cup title.</p> <p><strong>Betting tip:</strong> Toa Samoa.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>First Tryscorer Prediction</h3> <p>Despite the Panther’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/huddle/nrl/news/most-premierships-in-a-row">stranglehold on the NRL Premiership</a> finally coming to an end and his own season shortened by injury, Samoan winger Brian To’o still averaged a try every two games in 2025.</p> <p>He also scored in every single one of NSW’s games during the most recent Origin series, including a hat-trick in Game II, which included the opening try of the match.</p> <p>In this clash against NZ, To’o also gets to link back up with his best mate and Samoan No.7 Jarome Luai who, just like back in the old days at Penrith, will be desperate to get the pill to him early.</p> <p>Put all of the above together and you have a prime candidate for the first try scorer market.</p> <p><strong>Betting tip:</strong> Brian To’o.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>New Zealand vs Samoa Anytime Try Scorer Betting Tips</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Casey McLean</h3> <p>Young Kiwi flyer Casey McLean enjoyed a prolific breakout season for Penrith this year.</p> <p>He crossed for 16 tries in 23 games in his first full season in the big time and if Kieran Foran and Dylan Brown can find him out wide at a similar frequency to Nathan Cleary, he should be able to pop up for a try sometime in this one.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Deine Mariner</h3> <p>One of the many Broncos’ players who really stood up on their miracle run to the 2025 NRL Premiership, Deine Mariner opened the scoring in the Grand Final and presents an excellent anytime try scorer option here.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Ronaldo Mulitalo</h3> <p>One of the highest scoring players in the NRL in 2025, Ronaldo lived up to his name and bagged 17 tries in 26 appearances.</p> <p>A prolific finisher, he’s always a shout for a try anytime from anywhere.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Jeremiah Nanai</h3> <p>Rounding out our anytime try scorer tips for New Zealand vs Samoa, with a bit of a value pick.</p> <p>The only forward on our list, Jeremiah Nanai has proved his try scoring abilities time and time again for both the Cowboys and Queensland, provided he gets the right service when running his line close to the sticks.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>New Zealand vs Samoa Squads</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>New Zealand Squad</h3> <p>Nelson Asofa-Solomona (Melbourne Storm)</p> <p>Dylan Brown (Newcastle Knights)</p> <p>Erin Clark (New Zealand Warriors)</p> <p>Phoenix Crossland (Newcastle Knights)</p> <p>James Fisher-Harris (New Zealand Warriors) (c)</p> <p>Kieran Foran (Gold Coast Titans)</p> <p>Jamayne Isaako (The Dolphins)</p> <p>Keano Kini (Gold Coast Titans)</p> <p>Sebastian Kris (Canberra Raiders)</p> <p>Moses Leota (Penrith Panthers)</p> <p>Jeremy Marshall-King (The Dolphins)</p> <p>Casey McLean (Penrith Panthers)</p> <p>Ronaldo Mulitalo (Cronulla Sharks)</p> <p>Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad (New Zealand Warriors)</p> <p>Briton Nikora (Cronulla Sharks)</p> <p>Isaiah Papali'I (Penrith Panthers)</p> <p>Scott Sorensen (Penrith Panthers)</p> <p>Joseph Tapine (Canberra Raiders)</p> <p>Matthew Timoko (Canberra Raiders)</p> <p>Naufahu Whyte (Sydney Roosters)</p> <p>Xavier Willison (Brisbane Broncos)</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Toa Samoa Squad</h3> <p>Ata Mariorta (Canberra Raiders)</p> <p>Benaiah Ioelu (Sydney Roosters)</p> <p>Blaize Talagi-Seuala (Penrith Panthers)</p> <p>Brian To’o (Penrith Panthers)</p> <p>Chanel Harris-Tavita (New Zealand Warriors)</p> <p>Deine Mariner (Brisbane Broncos)</p> <p>Francis Molo (The Dolphins)</p> <p>Izack Tago (Penrith Panthers)</p> <p>Jarome Luai (Wests Tigers)</p> <p>Jaydn Su’A (St George Dragons)</p> <p>Jazz Tevaga (Manly Sea Eagles)</p> <p>Jeremiah Nanai (North Queensland Cowboys)</p> <p>Josh Papalii (Canberra Raiders)</p> <p>Junior Paulo (Parramatta Eels)</p> <p>Lyhkan King-Togia (St George Dragons)</p> <p>Murray Taulagi (North Queensland Cowboys)</p> <p>Payne Haas (Brisbane Broncos)</p> <p>Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (New Zealand Warriors)</p> <p>Simi Sasagi (Canberra Raiders)</p> <p>Taylan May (Wests Tigers)</p> <p>Terrell May (Wests Tigers)</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>New Zealand vs Samoa Match Details</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Date:</strong> Sunday, October 19, 2025.</p> <p><strong>Kick-off:</strong> 3:05pm AEST.</p> <p><strong>Location: </strong>Go Media Stadium, Auckland.&nbsp;</p>