NRLDraw is an online game that lets you play fantasy rugby league. Choose your team and earn points each week as the season progresses.
Last year’s runners-up Parramatta Eels are set for a rough opening run of games next season, with three straight clashes against sides coming off their byes.
Top eight
The Dragons should be in the top eight but they will have to battle for it. Their fixture list contains just one double up against a side in last year’s top eight. They meet the Panthers and Sharks twice but they also play bottom-eight sides such as the Tigers, Rabbitohs, and Sea Eagles.
The Knights have the second hardest fixture list in the NRL. They don’t play any side that finished higher than eighth last year but they do face the Tigers, Dragons, Sharks, Raiders, and Eels twice each.
The Bulldogs continued slide to the bottom of the ladder last season has been rewarded with a difficult draw. They begin the season with a run that includes home and away games against the Tigers, Storm, and Sharks. Their run home also sees them take on potential improvers the Knights and Sea Eagles. Zero Tackle ranks each team’s draw on a sliding scale from easiest to toughest.
Bottom eight
After a dismal 2021 season that saw them miss out on the top eight, Ricky Stuart will be hoping to turn things around with his new-look Dragons side. Unfortunately, they have been handed a tricky draw according to Fox Sports Lab who have examined the strength of each team’s schedule using their Lab Predictor.
They play five of the top eight sides in their first seven rounds, with a tough run coming at home after Magic Round. This will include back-to-back games against the Rabbitohs, Panthers and Eels.
It’s a similar story for the Broncos who have been handed a more forgiving draw. They play top eight teams three times in the opening two months, with two of those games against Grand Final finalists the Rabbitohs and Panthers. They avoid a double-up with the Raiders and Storm leading into the Origin period, and have just one game against the Cowboys.
Middle eight
The 2023 NRL season is set to kick off with Grand Final runners-up Parramatta opening the campaign against a new-look Melbourne Storm at CommBank Stadium. St George Illawarra and Cameron Ciraldo will then lead their teams into the first weekend of Saturday triple-headers before Round 6 with a clash against the Brisbane Broncos.
The NRL then goes on to tinker with the draw, making it harder for teams who finished well down the ladder to have easy double-up games. It doesn’t always work, but the NRL tries its best to make it fair.
The NRL has also tinkered with the way it distributes team byes over the 27-week regular season and three-match State of Origin series. This could create some havoc in Fantasy rugby league and SuperCoach. It could also put extra pressure on players and coaches. It is a big change to the format and the NRL would be wise to review it. It may not be the biggest issue but it’s an important one.
Final eight
The draw is a complex one that takes into account several factors, and it’s not easy to determine who will win the competition. The bottom eight sides will be hoping to stay clear of the wooden spoon, while those around them will be looking at ways to get into the top four.
The Dragons have the best chance to avoid the drop, but that won’t be easy. They have a tough start, with six of their opening seven matches against teams that finished in the top eight last year. The Sea Eagles are another side to look out for, with Tom Trbojevic and Isaiah Papalii hoping to boost their chances of an NRL finals berth.
During the first week of finals, the higher ranked team hosts – usually at their home ground but if they are a Sydney side then at one of the major stadiums like Western Sydney Stadium, Sydney Cricket Ground and New Sydney Football Stadium. The winners of those games then play home preliminary finals, and the losers face away semifinals in week two.
