Newcastle will kickstart the Wayne Bennett era against his former club St George Illawarra in a blockbuster opening to the 2012 NRL season which also features a grand final rematch.
Premiers Manly will travel across the ditch on the opening weekend to take on the Warriors at what is sure to be a hostile Eden Park, while arch-rivals South Sydney and the Sydney Roosters also do battle in round one.
“They’re starting the season with a new coach and he’ll be looking to set the tone for the Warriors in 2012,’ Sea Eagles coach Des Hasler said of the Warriors clash.
The opening round has been brought forward a week to accommodate a representative weekend in late April, with the Knights hosting the Dragons in the first game of the season at Ausgrid Stadium on Thursday, March 1.
“We see the 2012 NRL draw as a major compliment to the Knights,” Newcastle chief executive Matthew Gidley said.
“To open the NRL season, to back it up a fortnight later against the Broncos, host Parramatta over the Easter weekend, to play Manly in rivalry round and then play the Rabbitohs for the final round of the season for Old Boys Round, provides us with an exceptional amount of exciting games at Ausgrid Stadium.”
Emotions are sure to be running high when Manly take on Canterbury in round eight, the rivalry having intensified following Hasler’s decision to flee Brookvale for Belmore in 2013 along with a good chunk of his coaching staff, including highly respected recruitment guru Noel Cleal.
Dragons fans won’t have to wait long to vent their frustrations at Tim Moltzen, the Tigers fullback who reneged on a deal to join the joint-venture club for next season.
Moltzen will have to face the music when the Dragons host Tim Sheens’ Tigers in round three.
Star Cronulla recruit Todd Carney will have to wait until round 18 to exact revenge on his former team, the Sydney Roosters, who sacked him after a string of alcohol-related breaches.
It’s a different story for two of Carney’s team-mates, with former Wests Tigers duo Bryce Gibbs and Andrew Fifita given a round one match up with the Tigers to think about over summer.
Brisbane will enter life without club champion Darren Lockyer with a first round hitout against Parramatta, who will be showing off new recruit Chris Sandow.
Anzac Day will again be a huge feature of the NRL calendar, with two matches taking place.
The Roosters and the Dragons will go head-to-head in Sydney while Melbourne will host the Warriors.
Manly fans will have to wait until round six to welcome their grand final heroes back to Brookvale as the ground undergoes a minor upgrade to the main grandstand.
Meanwhile, in a change to previous years, there will be a bye week for the entire competition between rounds seven and eight for representative purposes.
This will cover the mid-year Test between Australia and New Zealand, the City-Country clash and the first ever NSW v Queensland State of Origin match for Toyota Cup players.
The NRL has also extended rivalry round to two weeks to give all teams an opportunity to host a match.
“This has been a very different draw process and one that ensures the best opportunity for clubs to promote their marquee games,” NRL Director of Football Operations Nathan McGuirk said.
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