Parramatta have been delivered a dream draw while the Sydney Roosters’ bid to pull off an NRL three-peat has been made even harder by the revised match schedule.
The NRL released the new draw for the final 16 rounds on Thursday, with the Eels to avoid facing Melbourne, the Roosters and Canberra twice.
Along with the added advantage of being able to play at home ground Bankwest Stadium, it means Parramatta do not have two clashes with any of last year’s grand finalists or the minor premiers.
Instead, they have double dates with Brisbane, Manly, Canterbury, Penrith and the Wests Tigers after already winning their first two games before the season was halted.
Cronulla are another team to benefit, avoiding meeting the Storm, Canberra, Roosters, Eels, Rabbitohs, Broncos and Manly twice in the round-robin.
Meanwhile the Roosters’ task has become much harder, having already lost their first two matches.
The Tri-colours play South Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, St George Illawarra and Brisbane twice in their bid to become the first team win three straight titles in more than 35 years.
Check out the revamped 2020 NRL draw here
“Everyone has fought so hard to get the game back on the field,” NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said.
“There are new fixtures and new venues, but when the players take the field, the desire to win will be that much higher given the sacrifices made to this point.
“The schedule of 18 uninterrupted weeks of football combined with the new rules to make the game faster, will deliver the heart-pounding entertainment fans expect.”
The Roosters’ traditional Anzac Day match against the Dragons has been moved to August 6, to commemorate the anniversary of the battle of Lone Pine.
Their grand final rematch with Canberra will kick off round 10 in a Thursday night game.
Other key features of the draw include the State of Origin series being played on three straight Wednesdays – November 4, 11 and 18.
The second game has the potential to clash with a cricket Twenty20 World Cup semi-final at the SCG featuring Australia, if that tournament goes ahead.
The women’s Origin match will be played on Friday, November 13, with venues still to be announced for all representative matches.
Venues for all NRL matches have only been determined to the end of round nine, with a possible return to a home-and-away season after that dependent on a review of biosecurity measures.
Thursday, May 28
Brisbane Broncos vs Parramatta Eels, 7:50pm, Suncorp Stadium
Friday, May 29
North Queensland Cowboys vs Gold Coast Titans, 6pm, QCB Stadium
Sydney Roosters vs South Sydney Rabbitohs, 7:55pm, BankWest Stadium
Saturday, May 30
Warriors vs St George Illawarra Dragons, 3pm, Central Coast Stadium
Cronulla Sharks vs Wests Tigers, 5:30pm, BankWest Stadium
Melbourne Storm vs Canberra Raiders, 7:35pm, AAMI Park
Sunday, May 31
Penrith Panthers vs Newcastle Knights, 4:05pm, Campbelltown Stadium
Manly Sea Eagles vs Canterbury Bulldogs, 6:30pm, Campbelltown Stadium
Paul
Roar Guru
I agree the draw's not fair Rob. It can't be as soon as sides don't play each other the same number of times. What I find interesting is that this is generally only mentioned at the start of each season and seems to be forgotten when the Premiership Trophy is being held up. I also don't recall it being used as an excuse for teams not to have made the finals, or as a reason for coaches not to be sacked when their sides do poorly. I'd have thought if there was any hidden reasons for making the draw, or if Clubs were really unhappy with their draws, we'd be hearing plenty from coaches, etc.
Rob
Guest
I don't believe the draw is fair in regards to the fact it is geared to have a couple of Sydney team and a couple outside Sydney club getting the opportunity to play finals. The Cowboys, Raiders, Strom, Broncos, Warriors, Titans and Knights have been slogging it out for years against each others. Sharks, Manly, Roosters, Souths, Dragons, Parra, Panthers, Wests and Dogs have been slogging out for the other final positions. Every year you get slightly better teams missing the 8 while weaker teams slip in. I think it's money and market driven but every team is in a similar position other than maybe the Queensland teams (Storm included) that SOO and travel make it slightly harder.
Muzz
Guest
What a strange footy season.
WarHorse
Roar Rookie
Politis needs to get over his whining. Roosters shouldnt get all the favours all the time.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
don't worry, I don't have a sense of humour
Flexis
Roar Rookie
I’m with you. In fact that was exactly my point. Obviously need to work on my humour delivery.
Joe
Roar Rookie
The Storm draw looks like a made for TV draw - 2 games v Roosters 2 games v Raiders 2 games v Manly. 2 games v Rabbits That's some tough gigs for the team but should be great viewing for the public.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
Although this season is somewhat "disjointed" history tells us that the top 8 has 3 or 4 teams who failed to qualify the previous season. We'll never see each team play each other twice in a 16 team comp so we have to accept that not everyone will be happy.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
There's pre-ANZAC Day, pre-annual MacGregor upgrade Dragons, and there's the post contract upgrade, post-Roosters defeat Dragons
no one in particular
Roar Guru
Well, you see, Canberra went from 10th in 2018 to grand finalists last year Manly went from 15th in 2018 to 6th last year Warriors fell from the top 8 to 13th Parramatta went from wooden spoon to 5th Penrith went from a 1 point loss in the semi final to 10th Dragons went from a 1 point loss in the semi final to second last Thats 6 of the 16 teams that "never changed", with an average change in their position on the ladder of of 7 spots
Flexis
Roar Rookie
Well you see, the teams up the top last year were better. And things never change. Sure players move on, but they are typically replaced with a younger fitter version of similar ilk. Form is typically permanent and stable, as a result of the level of professionalism of each clubs coaching staff. The only thing that apparently changes is the draw phenomenon. That only works year to year. Otherwise the teams up the top last year would have been there due to their easy draw. And of course we all know that would be a stupid way of judging the strength of this years draw ;)
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
We will only know who had a good draw when the season is almost over. It's a lot more complicated than this simple formula as others have said. In previous seasons you could play Saints twice when they were almost unbeatable while other teams played them once when the wheels fall off and they couldn't beat an egg. It's not unfair but it's also not able to be predicted. Manly and Parra were the two worst teams in 18 but were both close to the top four in 19 . Question is which top team or teams from 19 will be plodding along at the wrong end of the ladder in 20? I'm beginning to wonder if the Bunnies are a chance of losing the plot.
Dogs Boddy
Roar Rookie
Good stuff. Personally I think the Roosters and Storm should have to play each other for the rest of the season to give everyone else a fighting chance.
DAVEC
Roar Rookie
well what about the worriors then away from home and having to play away from home every week
Nat
Roar Guru
I was thinking the same. There are 'tradionally strong' Roosters, Storm but really the 14 teams below are interchangable. Even the Warriors played finals 2 seasons ago.
Duncan Smith
Roar Guru
The draw is really unfair to the Dragons because they're the only team that doesn't get to play the Dragons.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
you do it after the event, not before. SOS is not a predictive stat. Would teams have a tougher draw next season if they play Melbourne twice, and (for example) Smith and Bellamy are not there? Most journalists use it as a headline
jamesb
Roar Guru
Irrespective of the draw, for the Dragons, it will always be a hard draw..
Paul
Roar Guru
And the problem is......?
Paul
Roar Guru
I'm not sure what other metric could be used if you were trying to decide whether a team had a hard or easy draw? Short of doing some sort of in-depth analysis, which most time sensitive journalists rarely do these days, I'd suggest this is the only way to make a story out of this issue