NRL draw anomalies expose a gifted run for Brisbane Broncos while Sea Eagles, Sharks and Raiders suffer

Manly coach Anthony Seibold has every reason to complain about the club’s brutal draw, with a total of five games played in a space of 25 days. But revolutionary technology could change everything about the NRL draw, writes DAVID RICCIO.

Manly coach Anthony Seibold has every reason to complain about the club’s brutal draw that has included three games in 11 days, the latest a two-point loss to the Dragons on Thursday night.

“The NRL has never been more demanding and we talk about player welfare and wellbeing and so on and I just don’t understand how … not only five games in 25 days but three in 11 days,” Seibold said after his side’s 20-18 loss to the Dragons on Thursday night.

“I see it’s the same at other clubs, the Raiders, the Sharks … but just look at us for a minute. Three games in 11 days then we lose two days going to Perth, it’s a five-hour trip each way.

“I don’t understand it.

“The competition has never been more demanding, the GPS data is through the roof this year.

“I just don’t understand. It’s something that needs to be looked at. It’s not an excuse for how we played but it’s something that needs to be looked at.

“In the AFL they have no less than six-day turnarounds.’’

The Sea Eagles have played three matches in 11 days. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Seibold’s gripe has emerged in the wake of concerns raised by some clubs that the Brisbane Broncos have been given a rails run to the 2025 premiership.

Unlike their rivals, the Broncos’ season draw requires Michael Maguire’s side to play away from their home ground, Suncorp Stadium, just five times in the first 17 rounds of the 27-round competition.

In addition, from March to June, the Broncos have also been given just two five-day turnarounds.

The example was highlighted during a period when the Sea Eagles are in Perth, where they tackled the Sharks on Saturday, as part of a gruelling 11 days in which they play three matches.

The torture test continues for Manly next month when they again tackle three games in 12 days between rounds 10 and 12.

Seibold said last week that he had never experienced such a congested schedule.

The Broncos have a great run with travel. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

The Sea Eagles only had time for one 20-minute training session last Wednesday – a short captain’s run – before hosting the Dragons.

Meanwhile, the Broncos have eight days to prepare between their clash with the Roosters on Friday night and their Easter Saturday clash with the Warriors in New Zealand.

The NRL note that Suncorp Stadium being the hosting venue of Magic Round and two matches being played there against neighbouring rivals the Dolphins needs to be factored into the Broncos draw.

However, by comparison to the Broncos’ schedule, the Raiders are being asked to travel 10 times across the first 17 rounds, clocking 14,960km compared to the Broncos’ 6200km on the road.

Adding to the travel demands on the Raiders is the fact that their flight to Darwin to play the Eels on Saturday night required the team to pick up connecting passengers in Adelaide before then flying to the Territory.

Other 2025 season draw anomalies include the all-conquering Bulldogs being handed just two trips outside of NSW in the first 16-rounds.

Canterbury also doesn’t have a single five-day turnaround.

Meanwhile, the Sharks have travelled to Las Vegas, Townsville, Canberra and Perth to commence their season.

Long-serving Roosters chairman Nick Politis has often lamented the NRL’s design of the draw.

“Please don’t call it a draw. Can we get it right? It is a TV schedule,” Politis has stated previously.

The NRL currently use their own software model to compile the season draw inside their Moore Park offices each year.

Undoubtedly the TV broadcasters have major say in the selection of games, particularly the high-rating Broncos on Friday night footy, but there are also many complex layers for the NRL to consider.

Among the factors are club requests, rivalries, television ratings and travel considerations.

The draw is not a simple matter of randomly pairing teams.

However, the NRL are constantly looking to improve the game and have proven their willingness to move with the times and implement technology that enhances the competition.

The NRL is exploring the prospect of joining the NBA in using AI technology to construct the annual season draw – a revolutionary move that should help create a fairer competition schedule.

The NBA have partnered with fastbreak.ai to construct their complex season schedule, which takes into account the huge 1,230-games played per basketball season in the US.

The NRL’s current broadcast deal expires at the end of 2027.

The use of AI to construct the annual season draw would likely coincide with the next broadcast deal.

Originally published as NRL draw anomalies expose a gifted run for Brisbane Broncos while Sea Eagles, Sharks and Raiders suffer