- The upcoming season’s schedule was released Thursday.
- The first games begin with a doubleheader in Las Vegas on March 2
They have long been accused of receiving the softest draw in the NRL, but 2025 looks brutal for the Sharks, one of three clubs to play 13 games against last season’s top eight teams.
Craig Fitzgibbon’s men ended their finals drought and were 80 minutes away from a place in the decider, but face a brutal run of matches next year starting in Las Vegas against the defending premiers.
They will then face the Cowboys in Townsville in round two, with North Queensland seeking revenge after Cronulla ended their final campaign in Sydney.
It’s a tough test for the Sharks, the only team in the 2024 finals who will have to play 13 times against the top eight teams next season, while the Eels and Rabbitohs have also suffered horror draws as they look to bounce back in 2025.
Souths start the year against two other teams who missed the finals, but after that there is a challenge with games against the Sharks, Panthers, Roosters, Cowboys, Bulldogs, Storm and Knights in consecutive weeks.
We’ll learn a lot about Wayne Bennett’s team in the first two months, while it’s a different story for the Bulldogs, who only have to play three top-eight teams in the first 16 rounds.
Nicho Hynes (pictured) and his Cronulla Sharks are the biggest losers of the 2025 draw
Latrell Mitchell (pictured) and the Rabbitohs will face a very difficult start to the year
The Knights have also been blessed with a favorable tie as they only play nine games against teams that were in this year’s final series.
The Storm, Panthers, Dragons and Tigers have 12 games against the top eight teams of 2024, while the Roosters, Cowboys, Dolphins, Broncos and Titans have 11 games, and the Bulldogs, Sea Eagles, Raiders and Warriors have 10 games.
The draw will feature the fewest five-day changes in history, 21, with the Bulldogs and Eels leading the way with 14 games on free-to-air television.
The Storm also face a brutal end to the season with the Panthers, Bulldogs, Roosters and Broncos awaiting them in the final month. The minor premiers have their final bye in round 15.
Melbourne won’t have to wait long to get their revenge in the grand final as Melbourne open Round 3 against Penrith at AAMI Park.
The Panthers lost both of their regular season matches against the Storm this year, but got the job done when it mattered most, and the premiers also defeated Brisbane, the team they beat in the 2023 decider, in Round 3.
The teams will meet again in Round 24, just as they did this year when Nathan Cleary was injured and the Storm sneaked home by two points.
Jarome Luai will carry the weight of an entire fan base on his shoulders next year, and Tigers fans will be hoping the four-time premiership winner can save them after three straight wooden spoons.
Other teams will be envious of the Bulldogs’ draw in the first 16 rounds, and the club will also appear in a league-leading 14 games on free-to-air television (pictured, Stephen Crichton).
Luai has to wait until round 14 to face his old team, with Penrith taking on the Tigers at CommBank Stadium in what should be a Sunday classic that will be packed with excitement as he takes on his fellow greats.
Josh Addo-Carr could return for Parramatta’s match against Canterbury in Round 3 if he is allowed to serve part of his suspension in the All Stars game, and the winger will also face his old team in the King’s Birthday clash at round 14 when there will be fireworks in the Olympic Park.
Bulldogs fans are still smarting about what he did on the eve of the final, with Addo-Carr set to provide the speed the Eels have desperately lost.
“This is an exciting time for fans as we unveil the integrated NRL and NRLW calendars for the 2025 season,” NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said.
“The schedule is bigger and bolder than ever with 32 weeks of jaw-dropping action that will see unparalleled rivalries, excitement and skill at every turn.”