Final six NRL rounds revealed: When your team will play

HERE it is. The last six rounds of the NRL draw. Every team, every timeslot and key match-ups that will decide the top-eight, minor premiership and wooden spoon.

Parra fans will be dreaming of finals footy with this run-in. Photo: Gregg Porteous

HERE it is. The crucial last six rounds of the NRL premiership draw.

Every team, every timeslot and most importantly, the key match-ups that will decide the final top-eight, minor premiership and dreaded wooden spoon.

After The Sunday Telegraph obtained the first-look at the final draft for scheduling for rounds 21 to 26 of the 2017 season, the NRL has confirmed the last six rounds of the premiership draw.

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Highlights of the final six rounds include:

* The Eels handed a dream final six weeks in regards to rehabilitation and recovery; playing only Thursday and Friday nights until week one of the finals.

* A return to the Sydney Cricket Ground for Friday night football to coincide with Fox Sports “Retro Round” between the Dragons and Rabbitohs in round 22

* The possibility of the minor premiership being decided on Saturday August 12 in round 23 with premiership-favourites Melbourne hosting the currently second-placed Roosters at AAMI Park.

* Premiers Cronulla being forced to ‘go troppo’ by playing Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium on a Friday night in round 23 before then flying north to Townsville to tackle the Cowboys six days later

Parra fans will be dreaming of finals footy with this run-in. Photo: Gregg Porteous

* The Raiders wanting desperately to cement their top-eight spot prior to a daunting final round match-up and 2016 preliminary final replay with the Storm on September 2 at AAMI Park

* The possibility of the last-placed wooden spoon not being unable to be decided until the last Sunday of the regular season with Newcastle, the Wests Tigers and Bulldogs all drawn to play on September 3 of the final round.

* What length the Tigers administration go to farewell departing local juniors Aaron Woods and James Tedesco on a Sunday night at Leichhardt Oval in the final match of the regular season

Cronulla have a tough run in Queensland at season’s end. Photo: Gregg Porteous

All Saturday night matches over the final five rounds of the premiership will be televised simulcast on both Nine and Fox Sports.

Both Nine and Fox Sports have worked together with the NRL to finalise a draw focused on ensuring every club has minimal, if any, five-day turnarounds.

The fast-finishing Panthers are one team who favoured well with six days being their longest turnaround over the final six weeks.

And the season-ending shoulder injury to Johnathan Thurston hasn’t only hurt Queensland’s Origin claims, it’s also robbed the NRL of a massive marketing campaign ahead of the Roosters’ Round 21 clash with North Queensland.

The Saturday night 7.30pm fixture at Allianz Stadium would’ve seen Thurston match-up with Roosters and NSW halfback Mitchell Pearce just 17 days after the Origin III decider.

However unlike the blow to Thurston, the NRL could be handed a ratings-winner should former NSW and current Cronulla captain Paul Gallen remain injury-free over the final month of the season.

Gallen, who goes into Sunday’s clash with Manly on 294 first-grade games, would play his 300th NRL match in Queensland, of all places, against the Brisbane Broncos on a Friday night in round 23.

Still on the Broncos, both they and the Cowboys, have received the much-desired Thursday night draw in the final round 26.

The two Queensland teams have developed an incredible and fierce rivalry over the past five years.

And given they have received the longest-possible turnaround between the last round and week one of the finals, all 34 players will undoubtedly leave everything out on 1300Smiles Stadium.

THE FULL NRL DRAW FOR ROUNDS 21-26

ROUND 21

Thursday (July 27)

Panthers v Bulldogs, Pepper Stadium (NINE), 7:50pm

Friday (July 28)

Warriors v Sharks, Mt Smart Stadium (FOX), 6pm

Eels v Broncos, ANZ Stadium (NINE), 7:50pm

Saturday (July 29)

Knights v Dragons, McDonald Jones Stadium (FOX), 3pm

Rabbitohs v Raiders, ANZ Stadium (FOX), 5:30pm

Roosters v Cowboys, Allianz Stadium (FOX), 7:30pm

Sunday (July 30)

Storm v Sea Eagles, AAMI Park (FOX), 2pm

Titans v Tigers, CBus Super Stadium (NINE), 4:00pm

ROUND 22

Thursday (August 3)

Bulldogs v Eels, ANZ Stadium (NINE), 7:50pm

Friday (August 4)

Dragons v Rabbitohs, Sydney Cricket Ground (FOX), 6:00pm

Cowboys v Storm, 1300Smiles Stadium (NINE), 7:50pm

Saturday (August 5)

Knights v Warriors, McDonald Jones Stadium (FOX), 3pm

Titans v Broncos, CBus Super Stadium (FOX), 5:30pm

Sharks v Raiders, Southern Cross Group Stadium (FOX), 7:30pm

Sunday (August 6)

Sea Eagles v Roosters, Lottoland (FOX), 2pm

Panthers v Tigers, Pepper Stadium (NINE), 4pm

ROUND 23

Thursday (August 10)

Rabbitohs v Bulldogs, ANZ Stadium (NINE), 7:50pm

Friday (August 11)

Eels v Knights, ANZ Stadium (FOX), 6pm

Broncos v Sharks, Suncorp Stadium (NINE), 7:50pm

Saturday (August 12)

Dragons v Titans, UOW Jubilee Oval (FOX), 3pm

Storm v Roosters, AAMI Park (FOX), 5:30pm

Panthers v Cowboys, Pepper Stadium (FOX), 7:30pm

Sunday (August 13)

Warriors v Raiders, Mt Smart Stadium (FOX), 2pm

Tigers v Sea Eagles, Leichhardt Oval (NINE), 4pm

ROUND 24

Thursday (August 17)

Eels v Titans, ANZ Stadium (NINE), 7:50pm

Friday (August 18)

Rabbitohs v Warriors, ANZ Stadium (FOX), 6pm

Broncos v Dragons, Suncorp Stadium (NINE), 7:50pm

Saturday (August 19)

Knights v Storm, McDonald Jones Stadium (FOX), 3pm

Roosters v Tigers, Allianz Stadium (FOX), 5:30pm

Cowboys v Sharks, 1300Smiles Stadium (FOX), 7:30pm

Sunday (August 20)

Raiders v Panthers, GIO Stadium (FOX), 2pm

Bulldogs v Sea Eagles, ANZ Stadium (NINE), 4pm

ROUND 25

Thursday (August 24)

Broncos v Eels, Suncorp Stadium (NINE) 7:50pm

Friday (August 25)

Raiders v Knights, GIO Stadium (FOX), 6pm

Tigers v Cowboys, Campbelltown Stadium (NINE), 7:50pm

Saturday (August 26)

Titans v Bulldogs, CBus Super Stadium (FOX) 3pm

Storm v Rabbitohs, AAMI Park (FOX), 5:30pm

Sharks v Roosters, Southern Cross Group Stadium (FOX), 7:30pm

Sunday (August 27)

Warriors v Sea Eagles, Mt Smart Stadium (FOX), 2pm

Panthers v Dragons, Pepper Stadium (NINE), 4pm

ROUND 26

Thursday (August 31)

Cowboys v Broncos, 1300Smiles Stadium (NINE), 7:50pm

Friday (September 1)

Eels v Rabbitohs, ANZ Stadium (NINE), 7:50pm

Saturday (September 2)

Roosters v Titans, Allianz Stadium (FOX), 3pm

Sea Eagles v Panthers, Lottoland (FOX), 5:30pm

Storm v Raiders, AAMI Park (FOX), 7:30pm

Sunday (September 3)

Knights v Sharks, McDonald Jones Stadium (FOX), 2pm

Dragons v Bulldogs, ANZ Stadium (NINE), 4pm

Tigers v Warriors, Leichhardt Oval (FOX), 6:30pm