The Game 2023 NRL draw

[Tigers1986]

Hopefully the draw is a little more 'balanced' next season. Whilst you can never predict the ladder, I'd love a way that the "soft" draw argument was done away with.

Maybe the NRL can run a 5-year cumulative table that gauges the "strength" of teams to place pools into. Or split the ladder in half, running 2 games a year against your half (e.g Penrith would play the top 8 of 2022 twice (14), 9-16 once (7), a Dolphin game (22) but yeah, would need to find 2 extra games. Club preferences for a 2nd clash would surely enter the discussion, i.e they might want the Tigers twice for Western derby, might want Canterbury twice for the Ciraldo clash).

That said, not many foresaw the Cowboys rise up the log or Manly's spiral down (albeit without Turbo). I do wonder who the big mover will be next season, and who may be the big faller.

 

[Valheru]

Hopefully the draw is a little more 'balanced' next season. Whilst you can never predict the ladder, I'd love a way that the "soft" draw argument was done away with.

Maybe the NRL can run a 5-year cumulative table that gauges the "strength" of teams to place pools into. Or split the ladder in half, running 2 games a year against your half (e.g Penrith would play the top 8 of 2022 twice (14), 9-16 once (7), a Dolphin game (22) but yeah, would need to find 2 extra games. Club preferences for a 2nd clash would surely enter the discussion, i.e they might want the Tigers twice for Western derby, might want Canterbury twice for the Ciraldo clash).

That said, not many foresaw the Cowboys rise up the log or Manly's spiral down (albeit without Turbo). I do wonder who the big mover will be next season, and who may be the big faller.

Under a 24 game per season structure, each team plays 120 games over 5 years. Each team could thus play every other team 8 times over that period (15*8 = 120). The sacrifice of such a system would mean marquee rivalries would only be played twice a season in 3 of the 5 years.

Of course, adding a 17th team ruins the maths here but the ideal scenario would be something like the above whilst preserving a rivalry match-up for each team that is always played twice a year.

 

[Canard]

Hopefully the draw is a little more 'balanced' next season. Whilst you can never predict the ladder, I'd love a way that the "soft" draw argument was done away with.

Maybe the NRL can run a 5-year cumulative table that gauges the "strength" of teams to place pools into. Or split the ladder in half, running 2 games a year against your half (e.g Penrith would play the top 8 of 2022 twice (14), 9-16 once (7), a Dolphin game (22) but yeah, would need to find 2 extra games. Club preferences for a 2nd clash would surely enter the discussion, i.e they might want the Tigers twice for Western derby, might want Canterbury twice for the Ciraldo clash).

That said, not many foresaw the Cowboys rise up the log or Manly's spiral down (albeit without Turbo). I do wonder who the big mover will be next season, and who may be the big faller.

I reckon too much is made of the a "balanced" draw. On paper you can try to make it as fair as possible.

But even playing each side home and away isn't "balanced". For example, on paper Penrith in Round 24 was a tough game, but they rested all its players, and then there is things like backing up from rep footy, injuries, playing teams who are out of contention etc. etc.

 

[WestCoastEel!]

hbf park isnt available as its a world cup venue. Last double header was great!

Yeah, the last double header was great, and happy just to be able to get a game over here

 

[Saxon]

Here's hoping the schedule provides some blockbuster matches to help fill the bigger venue. Zero hope the lower stands will be moved in during the AFL season though, better bring my binoculars...

I thought the lower stand drive systems were decommissioned many years ago.

 

[t-ba]

They’re girls and would’ve been a struggle for them being called Artie, Horrie or Dessy lol

Lucia Keary
Sammie Walker
Jemima Tedesco
Jaredina?

 

[flippikat]

Hopefully the draw is a little more 'balanced' next season. Whilst you can never predict the ladder, I'd love a way that the "soft" draw argument was done away with.

Maybe the NRL can run a 5-year cumulative table that gauges the "strength" of teams to place pools into. Or split the ladder in half, running 2 games a year against your half (e.g Penrith would play the top 8 of 2022 twice (14), 9-16 once (7), a Dolphin game (22) but yeah, would need to find 2 extra games. Club preferences for a 2nd clash would surely enter the discussion, i.e they might want the Tigers twice for Western derby, might want Canterbury twice for the Ciraldo clash).

That said, not many foresaw the Cowboys rise up the log or Manly's spiral down (albeit without Turbo). I do wonder who the big mover will be next season, and who may be the big faller.

I'm torn between Bulldogs & Warriors for the big improvement next season - Bulldogs are rated to improve, but I think the post-covid stability at the Warriors will definitely be felt too.

As for the drop.. I'm tempted to say Raiders and/or Eels.

 

[Vic Mackey]

Hopefully the draw is a little more 'balanced' next season. Whilst you can never predict the ladder, I'd love a way that the "soft" draw argument was done away with.

Maybe the NRL can run a 5-year cumulative table that gauges the "strength" of teams to place pools into. Or split the ladder in half, running 2 games a year against your half (e.g Penrith would play the top 8 of 2022 twice (14), 9-16 once (7), a Dolphin game (22) but yeah, would need to find 2 extra games. Club preferences for a 2nd clash would surely enter the discussion, i.e they might want the Tigers twice for Western derby, might want Canterbury twice for the Ciraldo clash).

That said, not many foresaw the Cowboys rise up the log or Manly's spiral down (albeit without Turbo). I do wonder who the big mover will be next season, and who may be the big faller.

The ‘soft draw’ is definitely a thing but as you say nearly impossible to fix. 17 teams so you can’t play everyone twice. The only way it can be fixed would be to add another team and have conferences which.

The sharks draw this year was ridiculously soft, in fact I think they’ve had one of the 2 ‘easiest’ draw for the last 4 years in a row. I remember the Eels had a similar one in 2017. However it ends up showing itself when both those teams went out in straight sets. Still the benefit of the experience can be felt in the coming years.

 

[Colk]

I'm torn between Bulldogs & Warriors for the big improvement next season - Bulldogs are rated to improve, but I think the post-covid stability at the Warriors will definitely be felt too.

As for the drop.. I'm tempted to say Raiders and/or Eels.

Hey mate, I thought we were friends

 

[Iamback]

Hopefully the draw is a little more 'balanced' next season. Whilst you can never predict the ladder, I'd love a way that the "soft" draw argument was done away with.

Maybe the NRL can run a 5-year cumulative table that gauges the "strength" of teams to place pools into. Or split the ladder in half, running 2 games a year against your half (e.g Penrith would play the top 8 of 2022 twice (14), 9-16 once (7), a Dolphin game (22) but yeah, would need to find 2 extra games. Club preferences for a 2nd clash would surely enter the discussion, i.e they might want the Tigers twice for Western derby, might want Canterbury twice for the Ciraldo clash).

That said, not many foresaw the Cowboys rise up the log or Manly's spiral down (albeit without Turbo). I do wonder who the big mover will be next season, and who may be the big faller.

Take Sharks easy draw this year

Manly were top 4
Newcastle and GC top 8

The draw looked hard, no way you can predict these things

 

[Stinkfinger]

I reckon too much is made of the a "balanced" draw. On paper you can try to make it as fair as possible.

Correct. The teams that have the easy draw go out backwards.

 

[League Unlimited News]

Membership prices are similar to previous years however 2023 ticketed memberships are based on nine home games, three each at Campbelltown Sports Stadium, Leichhardt Oval and CommBank Stadium.

Details about our other three 'home games' will be made available when NRL fixtures are released in November.

2023 Membership on sale now

Wests Tigers 2023 Membership is now on sale as momentum builds ahead of the new season.

www.weststigers.com.au

 

[Colk]

Membership prices are similar to previous years however 2023 ticketed memberships are based on nine home games, three each at Campbelltown Sports Stadium, Leichhardt Oval and CommBank Stadium.

Details about our other three 'home games' will be made available when NRL fixtures are released in November.

2023 Membership on sale now

Wests Tigers 2023 Membership is now on sale as momentum builds ahead of the new season.

www.weststigers.com.au

Ridiculous

 

[Captain Apollo]

The ‘soft draw’ is definitely a thing but as you say nearly impossible to fix. 17 teams so you can’t play everyone twice. The only way it can be fixed would be to add another team and have conferences which.

The sharks draw this year was ridiculously soft, in fact I think they’ve had one of the 2 ‘easiest’ draw for the last 4 years in a row. I remember the Eels had a similar one in 2017. However it ends up showing itself when both those teams went out in straight sets. Still the benefit of the experience can be felt in the coming years.

The other thing is that part of how they factor the draw is based on where teams finished the previous year (IIRC). Its like team 1 plays team 2 once, team 3 twice, team 4 once etc. However team's form from the previous season does not always carry over, so a team that kay have been a top 4 side one year (e.g. the Roosters in 2021) may due to a combination of loss of form, injury or roster changes slide down the ladder (the Roosters finished 6th in 2022) whilst other teams due to a similar combination of factors improve (e.g. Sharks who finished 9th in 2021 but finished 2nd in 2022). Also when you factor in that the NRL asks each clubs for 5 teams they'd like to play during the year at home, if those teams have an "up" or "down" year it can make the draw for that team look easier or harder than the previous year.

Even then, if you had conferences, there is no guarantee it would fix it. You only have to look, for example, at issues the NFL and the NBA have had in recent decades with perceptions of one conference being tougher than the other.

 

[tyty04]

https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl/state-of-origin-2023-schedule-revealed-in-huge-boost-for-queensland-maroons/news-story/b56ec2b7affcb21ca468ffb251f42a11?amp

From the Telegraph Sport.
State Of Origin, Magic Round and Grand final schedules revealed in this apparently.

 

[It's Been Done]

https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl/state-of-origin-2023-schedule-revealed-in-huge-boost-for-queensland-maroons/news-story/b56ec2b7affcb21ca468ffb251f42a11?amp

From the Telegraph Sport.
State Of Origin, Magic Round and Grand final schedules revealed in this apparently.

Behind a paywall

 

[League Unlimited News]

 

[Iamback]

Ahh so the BS about pretending that they are going to move the GF continues...

We all know it isn't going anywhere

 

[League Unlimited News]

Ahh so the BS about pretending that they are going to move the GF continues...

We all know it isn't going anywhere

This was made clear by the NRL when 2022's venue was announced in August:

The ARLC has today confirmed a one-year deal for this year’s Grand Final, with further discussions to take place for matches beyond 2022.

Grand Final to be played at Accor Stadium

The Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) has confirmed that the 2022 NRL Telstra Premiership Grand Final will be held at Sydney’s Accor Stadium.

www.nrl.com

 

[Diesel]

The tigers know how to make a home ground fortress. Who needs one home ground when at least four, or up to 6 will do

3 LO
3 C’town
3 CommBank
1 x 3 elsewhere