2026 Draw

[Penrose Warrior]

NRL Draw: Friday night against Roosters to launch 2026

Friday night home game against Roosters launches One New Zealand Warriors’ 2026 season.

www.warriors.kiwi

Roosters at home, Friday night lights, Round 1.

Hearty boos for DCE?

Big test first up

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

Usually love the Round 1 clashes in Vegas of all the clubs playing.
But next season.......meh

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Playing Broncos in Magic Round at Suncorp. Presuming it's not our home fixture (although the Broncos have enjoyed away status in Magic Rounds, I think?) that's not a bad thing?

Although the nrl.com list has us first, indicating home team? Disgraceful if so.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Usually love the Round 1 clashes in Vegas of all the clubs playing.
But next season.......meh

Yea it feels that way doesn’t it. Only point of interest is seeing how Brown and Ponga combine for the Knights but otherwise not much to get excited about. Other than the return of footy more generally of course.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Playing Broncos in Magic Round at Suncorp. Presuming it's not our home fixture (although the Broncos have enjoyed away status in Magic Rounds, I think?) that's not a bad thing?

Although the nrl.com list has us first, indicating home team? Disgraceful if so.

Yep we're home team. Broncs have been away team every Magic Round since inception.

I’ve never actually heard a club complain about that though (unless I've missed it?) despite the obvious advantage. Can only assume everyone else gets a fat wad of hush money.

That aside, yea its a good fixture for us. Primetime Sun arvo slot on FTA in Aus... club's commercial team will be happy.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Yep we're home team. Broncs have been away team every Magic Round since inception.

I’ve never actually heard a club complain about that though (unless I've missed it?) despite the obvious advantage. Can only assume everyone else gets a fat wad of hush money.

That aside, yea its a good fixture for us. Primetime Sun arvo slot on FTA in Aus... club's commercial team will be happy.

Yep I've heard it's fat wad stuff. Also, someone said the Broncos can't have a home game as that would entitle their membership to an allotment of the seating for that game, and the NRL don't want that. Does that mean the Warriors members get in free? Not that I care, I am going to purchase a membership but I won't be in Brisbane.

It's a good fixture in some ways but can't help but think we need every game we can get at Mt Smart to build a finals run.

Just did some Googling, apparently Manly had an 8 year or so deal to play home games in Brisbane, which was done before Magic Round but fit nicely into it, so they were hardly going to complain being the architect of that deal.

Didn't Fool Gould complain about it last year? I can't find anything but I remember it coming up.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Yep I've heard it's fat wad stuff. Also, someone said the Broncos can't have a home game as that would entitle their membership to an allotment of the seating for that game, and the NRL don't want that. Does that mean the Warriors members get in free? Not that I care, I am going to purchase a membership but I won't be in Brisbane.

It's a good fixture in some ways but can't help but think we need every game we can get at Mt Smart to build a finals run.

Just did some Googling, apparently Manly had an 8 year or so deal to play home games in Brisbane, which was done before Magic Round but fit nicely into it, so they were hardly going to complain being the architect of that deal.

Didn't Fool Gould complain about it last year? I can't find anything but I remember it coming up.

I just had a closer look - I didn’t realise this till now, but just as the Broncs have always been an away team for Magic Round, we've always been a home team.

So over the last 3 years, under a 24-game regular season with 12 "home" fixtures each, straight away we're down to 11 pa while the Broncs are at 13 pa.

But dig deeper and the difference is even more stark, in terms of actual home ground games.

In that 3 years, we only played 29 games at Mt Smart - 33 scheduled home fixtures, less 4 games the club took on the road. 1 each for Napier and Welly, and 2 in Chch.

In the same period, the Broncs played 39 times at Suncorp, plus 3 home games at the Gabba in '23 during the women's football WC - so in effect, 43 times. They not only have the Magic Round leg-up, but also the added bonus of playing the Dolphins away there.

So 29 home ground matches v 43.

I assume the commercials are worth it (?) but that feels a bit shit otherwise.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

I just had a closer look - I didn’t realise this till now, but just as the Broncs have always been an away team for Magic Round, we've always been a home team.

So over the last 3 years, under a 24-game regular season with 12 "home" fixtures each, straight away we're down to 11 pa while the Broncs are at 13 pa.

But dig deeper and the difference is even more stark, in terms of actual home ground games.

In that 3 years, we only played 29 games at Mt Smart - 33 scheduled home fixtures, less 4 games the club took on the road. 1 each for Napier and Welly, and 2 in Chch.

In the same period, the Broncs played 39 times at Suncorp, plus 3 home games at the Gabba in '23 during the women's football WC - so in effect, 43 times. They not only have the Magic Round leg-up, but also the added bonus of playing the Dolphins away there.

So 29 home ground matches v 43.

I assume the commercials are worth it (?) but that feels a bit shit otherwise.

Add to the fact they have some ridiculous access to Friday night football. Those are very stark numbers. The advantages the Broncos get are unreal.

Should say, though, that they did have a 7-day turnaround to the GF this year while the Storm had nine.

 

[RHYTHM AND STEALTH]

I wonder why they would have us v Broncos at magic round
Both teams pull a crowd. Be a better buisness plan to have them play on seperate days wouldnt it

 

[Diesel]

draw seems ok, but no games in Auckland between r7-15

ANZAC v Dolphins in Welly
Vs Cowboys at Christchurch after origin

byes nicely spaced.

round 27 v Manly, 2 years in a row

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

draw seems ok, but no games in Auckland between r7-15

ANZAC v Dolphins in Welly
Vs Cowboys at Christchurch after origin

byes nicely spaced.

round 27 v Manly, 2 years in a row

I thought the byes looked pretty congested tbh but at least its a better spread than this year. Would've been nice to shorten the run into (hopefully) finals though, looks to be another 9 week stretch.

Also looks like we'll cop pre-Origin stand downs twice this year, for games #1 and #2. Not ideal.

The CHCH game in the new stadium should be cool.

 

[Scott]

Pretty decent draw for us.

Overall, i'd say Dr AI has done a good job across the whole competition. I understand every team will only have 1 five day turnaround.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

NRL Draw: Dolphins on Anzac, Cowboys in Christchurch

Dates confirmed for 2026: Dolphins on Anzac Day in Wellington and Cowboys for Christchurch.

www.warriors.kiwi

Hard to say ahead of time but draw looks pretty good, home games in first two and last two seems a good fit.

No game in Auckland for 2 months mid-year does seem a bit off.

 

[Matua]

Nice, two games at Accor (SFS) is great as they're the easiest for me to get to (I can walk). A couple at Commbank too. Edit: Nope, I'm a dingbat, muddled up Accor and Allianz (again). No games at SFS.

No Manly though which is annoying as that's a free match for me.

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Nice, two games at Accor (SFS) is great as they're the easiest for me to get to (I can walk). A couple at Commbank too.

No Manly though which is annoying as that's a free match for me.

Guessing you mean Accor as in Olympic Park? Allianz is the old SFS.

How do you get freebies for Manly though? That’s a good score to have.

 

[Matua]

Guessing you mean Accor as in Olympic Park? Allianz is the old SFS.

How do you get freebies for Manly though? That’s a good score to have.

Yeah, I always muddle them up.

I have a mate who is a member and always buys two memberships, so I always get the Warriors game.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

Saw somewhere that our draw was statistically ranked the 2nd easiest in the comp for 2026, behind the Sharks

 

[Izz]

Saw somewhere that our draw was statistically ranked the 2nd easiest in the comp for 2026, behind the Sharks

I'm always a bit meh on those type of stats. 2026 comp will be a lot different from 2025 comp

 

[Beavers Headgear]

Saw somewhere that our draw was statistically ranked the 2nd easiest in the comp for 2026, behind the Sharks

I absolutely hate those stats that they put on

Best example last year was the Warriors, they were considered a gimme when these lists were produced, but proved to be a tougher game than advertised

I see the raiders boss is taking a swipe at the Broncos draw now

 

[Thatwasnthighref]

Those rankings always disregard the travel factor some teams, but especially our boys obviously, have to contend with too.

And then on the other hand, Fox sports posts an article about Souths’ draw saying they have a major advantage in only having to leave Sydney twice after round 12 which therefore meant “a dream run home for Wayne Bennett, whose team will avoid the fatigue that comes with making trips interstate.”