The famed Roosters-Rabbitohs rivalry will round out the 2024 season once again.Credit:Getty
Will finish against the Rabbitohs at Accor Stadium again and if they are in the top eight at the end of the Origin period,they’ll fancy their chances of staying there.
Difficulty: 9th
Knights
The fairytale story of the second half of the season will be given the honour of playing the first match of the new season in Australia,against the Raiders in Newcastle,as part of an extra six matches on free-to-air television. But no side has to play more games (seven) against last year’s top four.
Difficulty: 10th
Cowboys
If they’re to return to the finals,they’ll have to start better than last season and only have to play four top-eight teams in the opening 12 weeks before Origin I. Luckily don’t have to travel to New Zealand and Melbourne,easing the physical toll in the second half of the season.
Difficulty: 11th
Reece Walsh will get his first crack at Penrith in a grand final rematch in round three.Credit:Getty
Broncos
The grand finalists will be given every chance to atone for their collapse on the big day,with seven of their first 12 games at Suncorp Stadium and three matches to finish the regular season in Brisbane. Kevin Walters will also get plenty of chances to rest his stars in the back end of the year with the first of three byes in round 13. The grand final rematch will come in round three.
Difficulty: 12th
Panthers
How to make a quest for four straight titles difficult? Start on the road against Melbourne,whonever lose round one. The byes before the final two Origin matches will help Ivan Cleary,but they also have more five-day turnarounds (three) than anyone else in the league. The Storm,Eels,Broncos and Roosters is a tasty opening month,the last of which will be Spencer Leniu’s first game against his old side.
Difficulty: 13th
Raiders
Ricky Stuart will count his blessings in having to play only the Warriors out of last year’s top four twice and just one five-day recovery throughout the season. Double doses of the Tigers and Bulldogs will help,too,while they’ll have to wait until round 21 before Jack Wighton returns to Canberra.
Difficulty: 14th
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Dragons
Reasonably happy with their lot after copping a series of trips back and forth to Queensland last season. Shane Flanagan couldn’t have asked for a softer landing at the Red V with just one top-eight side faced in the first six weeks. The premiership-winning Sharks coach returns to Cronulla in round nine and also enjoys games against Penrith and Brisbane when they’ll be depleted of their Origin stars.
Difficulty: 15th
Warriors
Only play four games against their fellow top-four finishers from 2023 though the NRL’s favourite feel-good story will be tested early - their first month features Cronulla,Melbourne,Canberra and Newcastle. Just the one five-day turnaround is significant for the NRL’s most well-travelled team,as is a round 27 bye before the finals.
Difficulty: 16th
Sharks
Cronulla play less games (nine) against 2023 finalists than any other side and face traditional stragglers Canterbury and Wests Tigers in rounds two and three. A mid-year run featuring Melbourne in Melbourne,the Roosters at Magic Round,Penrith,Parramatta and Brisbane looms as their toughest stretch - though the Broncos best will be backing up from Origin I.
Difficulty: 17th
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