The Game 2023 NRL draw

[tyty04]

It's a tough one, because you want games that are gonna be big draws, but balance that against keeping some match-ups for later (build that anticipation)

I actually think a Souths vs Penrith game would be a decent one for Thursday night kickoff - especially how they've met in so many high-stakes playoff games in recent years.

Friday would be Dolphins v Roosters as the late game for sure, keeps the Dolphins matchups with other Qld clubs for later in the season,
Warriors v Titans (again, keeping the Titans away from other Qld teams) as early Friday game - Warriors hosting in that slot that Aussie clubs dislike.

Saturday would start with Storm v Sea Eagles. A rivalry that doesn't burn as hot as it used to, sure.. but still would be a decent appetizer to start Super Saturday.
Then onto Parra v Bulldogs - old rivalry, the intrigue being "have the Bulldogs improved enough over the off season under the new coach to foot it with a genuine force?"
Late Saturday game - Broncos v Cowboys at Suncorp. My one nod to intra-Queensland rivalry. Great check to see whether this season was a fluke for the Cowboys and whether the Broncos can build on their improvement.. plus a night game has to be the go for Queensland in early March!

That leaves the Dragons, Knights, Sharks, Tigers & Raiders.

Tough choices for Sunday, but one game would have to be Raiders v Sharks as that gives us a good guage on both teams (having both been in the playoffs this year), and the other game would have to be Dragons v Knights, as that's the most competitive looking one out of what's left.

So in short (home teams first)

Thursday : Panthers v Rabbitohs

Friday (1st): Warriors v Titans
Friday (2nd): Dolphins v Roosters

Saturday (1st): Storm v Sea Eagles
Saturday (2nd): Eels v Bulldogs
Saturday (3rd): Broncos v Cowboys

Sunday (1st): Knights v Dragons
Sunday (2nd): Raiders v Sharks

Bye: Tigers

I know it means no Sunday game in Sydney, but it also means Brisbane (×2), Auckland, Melbourne, Newcastle, and Canberra get to host games - so you get a lot of places getting live footy right away.

I actually quite like the fixtures that you have come up with.
A Panthers v Rabbitohs start to the year would leave fans anticipating for a fierce and physical game which would set up the new season nicely.
Warriors v Titans would be good also for the New Zealand based fans as plenty of them have said that they like the 6pm time-slot due to them being 2 hours ahead.
Dolphins vs Roosters is a no brainer. It is good to get that one out of the way early and possibly set up for a Dolphins v Broncos match at Suncorp on a Friday night in round 2 which would attract fans going to and watching the game
The selections for the Saturday games are solid actually. Storm and Manly on an early 3pm time-slot would be a great starter to Super Saturday and it will also attract plenty of fans. Unfortunately the NRL placed each of their games on a Thursday which was dour to say the least.
Eels vs Bulldogs on a Saturday 5:30 is a bit of a 50/50 for me. The 5:30 slot would be good for fans to show up to the game at a solid time but I feel that it would be better suited on a Sunday 4:05 as this has a larger chance of attracting crowds as others won’t have junior sports and work that day. This will also be on free to air channel 9 and create hype as Reed Mahoney will be versing his old club and obviously doggies and parramattas long lasting rivalry
Broncos v Cowboys on a 7:30 Saturday will be a nice way to round off super Saturday as two of the biggest clubs in Queensland will be battling it out.
I’d personally put Dogs and Parramatta on that Sunday 4:05 timeslot with Dragons and Newcastle playing in the dour 6:15 game and Raiders and Sharks being moved to the 5:30 Saturday timeslot.
Overall these are some pretty interesting and good choices for the round 1 fixture for next year.

 

[flippikat]

I think my general idea was scheduling 2022's top 8 teams against each other, and non top 8 teams against each other- except for 3 match ups.

Dolphins v Roosters - the Beetson factor.. a shared link to usher in the new (to NRL level) club

Storm v Sea Eagles - the rivalry has cooled from it's height.. but I placed these two in a game to test Manly, and see if they have what it takes to rebound from a shaky 2022.

Eels v Bulldogs - again, a rivalry from past seasons (in this case, long past) but a lot of people are thinking the Bulldogs are on an upwards track, here's the test first-up.

No way would I chuck the Warriors, Titans, Dragons or Knights in with a 2022 top 8 team right away.. but the two teams I *have* done that with may stand a chance of an upset.

 

[tyty04]

Also, does round 1 need to be a rivalry/blockbuster game. Fans have been starved for 5 months will go regardless who is playing. Round 1 should be mainly low drawing games, fans will still come in numbers to watch these games rather than in June/July in winter during origin affected rounds

I personally think that Round 1 should have both blockbuster and low drawing games through the round.
For example, this year provided us with games such as Penrith and Manly as the season opener and Broncos and Rabbitohs due to Adam Reynolds who didn’t actually take place in the match due to covid.
After that, the round provided us with some dour and low drawing games such as Eels v Titans and Dragons v Warriors so it’s good to mix it up a bit in the first round because in all honesty, people just wanna watch some footy no matter who is playing.

 

[tyty04]

T

I think my general idea was scheduling 2022's top 8 teams against each other, and non top 8 teams against each other- except for 3 match ups.

Dolphins v Roosters - the Beetson factor.. a shared link to usher in the new (to NRL level) club

Storm v Sea Eagles - the rivalry has cooled from it's height.. but I placed these two in a game to test Manly, and see if they have what it takes to rebound from a shaky 2022.

Eels v Bulldogs - again, a rivalry from past seasons (in this case, long past) but a lot of people are thinking the Bulldogs are on an upwards track, here's the test first-up.

No way would I chuck the Warriors, Titans, Dragons or Knights in with a 2022 top 8 team right away.. but the two teams I *have* done that with may stand a chance of an upset.

Yeah that is a smart way of looking at it. It’s going to be interesting to see what the scheduling will be for next year.
Hopefully it is more consistent then it was this year.
An example being the hype towards the first Canterbury and Penrith game this year and it being stuck on a 6:15 Sunday time slot or Roosters and Storm being put on a 5:30 Saturday.
Placing teams with rivalry or hype towards them must be done properly with an example being Eels v Bulldogs at Commbank this year which was put on a 3:00 Saturday when you’d expect a game like that to be put on free to air Thursday, Friday, Sunday or even the Saturdays that they show games free to air in the lead up to the finals. That game ended up selling out.

 

[flippikat]

I’d personally put Dogs and Parramatta on that Sunday 4:05 timeslot with Dragons and Newcastle playing in the dour 6:15 game and Raiders and Sharks being moved to the 5:30 Saturday timeslot.
Overall these are some pretty interesting and good choices for the round 1 fixture for next year.

Yeah, as I posted it I was considering moving the Eels v Bulldogs to that early Sunday slot and bringing one of the Sunday games I had into that mid-Saturday slot.

Raiders v Sharks in the middle Saturday slot makes a lot of sense.

 

[tyty04]

Yeah, as I posted it I was considering moving the Eels v Bulldogs to that early Sunday slot and bringing one of the Sunday games I had into that mid-Saturday slot.

Raiders v Sharks in the middle Saturday slot makes a lot of sense.

Sounds good bro. I’m just hoping that Brisbane aren’t given every Thursday or Friday each round. If it isn’t going to be them then it’ll be the Dolphins gaining those free to air timeslots most likely.

 

[tyty04]

Stadiums that each affected club will be based in through June-August due to FIFA Women’s World Cup:
Broncos: The Gabba
Bulldogs: Commbank? Belmore? Salter Oval?
Rabbitohs: Optus Stadium (Perth), Sunshine Coast Stadium
Storm: Marvel Stadium (Melbourne)
Roosters: Sydney Cricket Ground (Most likely)
Dolphins: Moreton Stadium Redcliffe (Most likely)

 

[baselinepanther]

What would be the fixtures that you lot would want for round 1 of 2023?
I feel mine would be:
Thursday 8:05: Panthers vs Storm (Bluebet)
Friday 6:00: Raiders vs Sharks (GIO)
Friday 8:05: Dolphins vs Roosters (Suncorp)
Saturday 3:00: Warriors vs Titans (Mount Smart Stadium)
Saturday 5:30: Rabbitohs vs Sea Eagles (Accor)
Saturday 7:35: Eels vs Bulldogs (Commbank)
Sunday 4:05: Broncos vs Cowboys (Suncorp)
Sunday 6:15: Dragons vs Knights (WIN Stadium)
Bye team: Tigers

Would be a 3pm kickoff in Brisbane on that Sunday so may be potentially a little hot in early March , plus dunno if 2 big games in Brisb in 2 days is necessary or wasting the old firm Qld derby in round one !!. So i'd swap those 2.. put the Cowboys up in Townsville on the Sat night against the Bulldogs make it the usual daylight savings time 8.30 kick off up there tho ( 7.30) down here , & Parra V the Broncos at commbank on the sunday at 4pm

but thats the framework of a big round one there.

 

[baselinepanther]

try to keep it as just one game in brissie each week as much as possible rotating the home team

Rnd 1 Phins V Chooks
Rnd 2 Broncs V Manly
Rnd 3 Phins V Broncs
Rnd 4 Broncs V Cowboys

 

[siv]

Also, does round 1 need to be a rivalry/blockbuster game. Fans have been starved for 5 months will go regardless who is playing. Round 1 should be mainly low drawing games, fans will still come in numbers to watch these games rather than in June/July in winter during origin affected rounds

Agree Rd1 should be perceived ordinary games

Start blockbusters from Rd3 to 4

 

[Someguy]

I think my general idea was scheduling 2022's top 8 teams against each other

surely they don’t make the sharks play a top8 team

 

[King-Gutho94]

So who gets shafted with the bye round 1.

 

[tyty04]

Would be a 3pm kickoff in Brisbane on that Sunday so may be potentially a little hot in early March , plus dunno if 2 big games in Brisb in 2 days is necessary or wasting the old firm Qld derby in round one !!. So i'd swap those 2.. put the Cowboys up in Townsville on the Sat night against the Bulldogs make it the usual daylight savings time 8.30 kick off up there tho ( 7.30) down here , & Parra V the Broncos at commbank on the sunday at 4pm

but thats the framework of a big round one there.

It should be like that due to the weather around that period but knowing the NRL they would schedule an Eels vs Broncos game on a Thursday or Friday cause you know… for ratings.
I personally believe the NRL should leave out most blockbusters until Round 3 just like how they did this year with clashes such as
Dragons v Sharks, Rabbits v Roosters and Broncos v Cowboys as teams will be fresher and fitter into the new season.

 

[baselinepanther]

It should be like that due to the weather around that period but knowing the NRL they would schedule an Eels vs Broncos game on a Thursday or Friday cause you know… for ratings.
I personally believe the NRL should leave out most blockbusters until Round 3 just like how they did this year with clashes such as
Dragons v Sharks, Rabbits v Roosters and Broncos v Cowboys as teams will be fresher and fitter into the new season.

The Sunday 4pm games in 2022 were a revelation , many cracking a mill national viewers combined on all platforms so I think a big Sydney team & a QLD team on the Sunday arvo will suit the networks just fine , Your other FTA games on Thurs ( Panthers V Storm)
& Fri ( Phins V Chooks) would also pull in huge ratings

anyway
we will know soon enough ...

 

[tyty04]

The Sunday 4pm games in 2022 were a revelation , many cracking a mill national viewers combined on all platforms so I think a big Sydney team & a QLD team on the Sunday arvo will suit the networks just fine , Your other FTA games on Thurs ( Panthers V Storm)
& Fri ( Phins V Chooks) would also pull in huge ratings

anyway
we will know soon enough ...

Yeah that is true. Yeah we’ll know soon. I recall hearing that the draw might be delayed and released at the end of November due to the World Cup and issues over stadium selections.

 

[flippikat]

So who gets shafted with the bye round 1.

Tigers. Let's just give them an extra week's rest before they start getting belted, yeah?

 

[Diesel]

None of the favourites will be getting byes in the first 6 weeks.

Tigers
Titans
Warriors
Raiders
Knights will all be locked in for the first 6 rounds.

 

[It's Been Done]

surely they don’t make the sharks play a top8 team

Only during Origin period

 

[docbrown]

The NRL need to carefully plan the 12 QLD rivalry games. There should be a special trophy up for grabs for the top winning team out of the four. I'd start it in Round 2 with a Broncos vs Cowboys match then have the games spread out every 2 to 3 weeks. By round 23/24 one or two teams might not be making the Top 8 but might still have a chance at winning the Queensland Trophy (whatever they call it). So in that round I'd have two games - one in Brisbane and one in Townsville - say Cowboys vs Dolphins and Broncos vs Titans. Those two games would likely decide the winner.

 

[tyty04]

Have any of you guys heard about any leaks towards the draw for 2023? I’ve only heard a couple such as the possibility of Manly and Melbourne playing in the USA in round 1 but I just wanted to see if anyone else has heard anything. Thanks lads.