Paul Kent: Broncos and Storm most disadvantaged by uneven NRL draw

When it comes to the draw, parity is not possible in the NRL but the price being paid by some clubs is an injustice, writes Paul Kent.

The private joke around the game is that it is not actually an NRL draw but, in slightly less friendly terms, more a television schedule.

The chief beef is that the uneven draw, with all 16 teams playing each other once but only half the competition twice, is that it is certainly more friendly to some teams ahead of others.

Parity is impossible when two full rounds are not played and it is about this time of the season when the disparity of a Cadbury’s season - a glass and a half - becomes clear.

Some believe two full rounds is the only fair system. Others concede that if another eight games were tacked on to the end of the season that some teams would be calling on their ballboys to fill a jersey at some point in the season.

And they would be playing until Christmas.

The attrition would be simply too much.

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The Broncos and Storm are the two most disadvantaged by the NRL draw. Picture: NRL Images

A check at how the ladder would look based on the full results of one complete round show some subtle differences in the ladder but not enough to claim a team has been entirely wronged.

And while they might be subtle, they are significant given it is the pointy end of the season.

With two rounds to play just three wins separate Melbourne, fourth on the ladder, and Canberra in ninth spot.

Melbourne and Brisbane are the two most disadvantaged.

Cronulla and North Queensland have benefited most, as could the Raiders if they can somehow manufacture an end of season miracle and steal a top eight finish.

Cronulla sits boldly in third place and is doing well enough to give most early season tipsters a tightening around the chest, having benefited from playing just one other team in the top eight twice this season, the least of any team. That was Melbourne.

More, not only did the Sharks manage to play the other six top eight teams just once but they also got a little extra sugar when one of those Storm games was an Origin round, the Storm without its Origin representatives, winning 28-6 at home.

Cronulla is reaping the rewards. Picture: NRL

The Sharks have also had the least amount of games against top four teams, with four, and the most number of games against bottom four teams (8).

Both Cronulla and North Queensland seem to have benefited by their improvement from missing the finals last year, with the Cowboys on track to win home ground advantage during the playoffs, which Melbourne could argue should be theirs under another system.

And as subtle as it is, this being rugby league it is enough to give some fans a starting point for an argument.

As it stands, with a full round and nearly half of another done, the current top four has Penrith (40) on top followed by North Queensland (34), Cronulla (34) and Melbourne (32).

Only points differential pushes the Cowboys ahead of the Sharks.

Based on every team playing each other just once, though, a full even round, Penrith would still lead the competition on 28 points but Melbourne (24) would be second ahead of Cronulla (20) and the Cowboys (18).

Brisbane is currently on 28 points and facing a nervous two final rounds as they try to hold off Canberra (26), but would be in outright fifth position if games were judged evenly, ahead of the Roosters, Souths and Parramatta.

The Broncos look to be paying for Parramatta’s good fortune.

The Eels are currently in outright fifth position on 30 points with a points differential of plus-64, while Brisbane is eighth.

Based on a single, even round, their positions are reversed.

The Bulldogs have had the toughest draw this season.

Once they get through Cronulla this Friday the Dogs will have played 14 games against top eight teams, the most of any, with only 10 against the bottom eight, the least of any.

Melbourne, the Roosters, Dragons and Warriors have all played 13 games against top eight teams.

The Roosters keep on showing their toughness and the draw adds further weight.

They have played three top four teams twice (Penrith, Cowboys and Storm) and only one bottom four team twice (Knights).

Either way, they remain sixth.

And if you take a deep dive, to the bottom of the ladder, Wests Tigers could be avoiding another wooden spoon on eight points and a win ahead of the Gold Coast if played over an even round.

Some would argue that might be the greatest injustice of all, given the struggle at the Tigers, but then they have played the same amount of games against top eight and bottom eight teams.

Just when there looked a chance, the pain does not get any easier.

Originally published as Paul Kent: Broncos and Storm most disadvantaged by uneven NRL draw