Fresh from claiming their first ever NSW Cup title, the Warriors square off against Queensland’s Cup champions Burleigh Bears for State Championship glory.

Captained by Kalani Going and boasting NRL talent in Bunty Afoa and former Bears Tanah Boyd and Taine Tuaupiki, the Warriors arrive on the big stage full of confidence after disposing of the Dragons in last week’s decider.

The Bears, meanwhile, wrapped up their fourth Queensland Cup title and first since 2019 when they gutsed it past Norths Devils 22-8 at Kayo Stadium.

For the Bears, this is a third trip to the State Championship and they will be out to make amends for losses to Illawarra Cutters in 2016 and Newtown Jets in 2019.

Follow all the action of the 2025 State Championship on NRL.com’s live blog.

Warriors v Burleigh Bears at Accor Stadium

Late Mail

Warriors: Coach David Tangata-Toa heads into the State Championship showdown with the same 17 that claimed the club’s first NSW Cup premiership with a 30-12 victory over the Dragons last Sunday. The Warriors have won 23 of 27 matches in 2025 and boast plenty of NRL experience in the shape of halfback Tanah Boyd, prop Bunty Afoa and outside backs Taine Tuaupiki and Ed Kosi. For Afoa, the clash bookends his Warriors career with a second grand final at Accor Stadium 11 years after being in the club’s winning NYC side in 2014. Centre Moala Graham-Taufa, prop Tom Ale and Kosi play their final game for the Warriors. No changes on game day with the line-up 1-18.

Bears: Nicholas O’Meley moves from centre to fill in for Creedence Toia, who limped off field just 15 minutes into last weekend’s grand final win over Norths Devils with a calf injury. Sami Sauiluma comes into the starting side at centre and Lorenzo Mulitalo joins the bench. Halfback Guy Hamilton will play despite carrying a calf injury into the grand final and then hurting his ankle during the match. With bench forward Kurt de Luis nursing a broken jaw, last week’s 18th man Lochlyn Sheldon has been added to the bench. This is the Burleigh Bears third State Championship appearance, after losses in 2016 to the Illawarra Cutters and 2019 to Newtown Jets. No changes on game day with the line-up 1-18.