NRL 2021 draw analysis: How your team fared

The fixtures are in for the 2021 NRL season — check out the winners and losers from the release of the draw.

How did your team fare in the 2021 NRL draw?

After the longest rugby league season in history, rugby league returns to normal scheduling next year.

The 2021 season kicks off when premiers Melbourne tackle South Sydney at AAMI Park and there’s plenty to digest now that the fixtures have been released.

Check out our club-by-club analysis of the 2021 NRL draw.

BRONCOS

Life under Kevin Walters is set to start in the best way possible for the Broncos with their 2021 season to begin with three weeks of footy in Queensland.

For the first time in five seasons, the Broncos get a home game at Suncorp Stadium to kick-off their campaign, against Parramatta, before travelling down the M1 to face David Fifita and a revamped Titans at Cbus Super Stadium.

They then face the Bulldogs (H), Storm (A), Rabbitohs (A), Panthers (H).

After a wooden spoon finish in 2020, the Broncos simply have to win any one of their opening three games to give them any hope of life under Walters. After that, they have a torrid month against powerhouse clubs Melbourne, South Sydney, Penrith and Parramatta (again).

They’ve been gifted with two Friday night games to start the year, followed by a Saturday night game at home which offers plenty of recovery time.

Grade: B-

FULL DRAW: Check out the NRL 2021 fixture round-by-round

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Kevin Walters and the Broncos don’t leave Queensland for the first three weeks of the 2021 season. Picture: Peter Wallis

BULLDOGS

The Trent Barrett era at Canterbury will kick-off with a challenging opening five weeks which includes clashes against both grand finalists in Melbourne and Penrith.

Barrett’s men receive a small bit of respite over the next 10 weeks until round 15 when they go head to head with Eels, Sea Eagles, Roosters, Rabbitohs and Sharks in consecutive weeks.

The Bulldogs are also faced with the prospect of taking on five of this year’s top eight sides.

On the plus side, they have managed to avoid the short turned and have no five-day turnarounds to content with.

Grade: D

COWBOYS

Todd Payten kicks off his Cowboys tenure with a tough trip to Penrith to face the grand finalist Panthers,

they face grand finalists the Panthers down at Penrith before hosting the Dragons and Titans at home in Townsville.

North Queensland then travel for two weeks to play the Sharks and Tigers away before heading back home again to play the Bulldogs.

The Cowboys have three Saturday games and two Sunday matches to start the year which should offer plenty of recovery time for their long-winded travel schedule.

After a forgettable 2020 season, the Cowboys face a tough draw to set up their year on the front foot.

Grade: A-

DRAGONS

A brutal run home for the Dragons could make or break their season and define new coach Anthony Griffin’s career at the club. In the final six rounds, the Dragons are set to battle the Rabbitohs twice, Canberra and then minor premiers Penrith, followed by the Roosters.

Red V fans will be treated to 12 home games with six matches apiece at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium and WIN Stadium.

The Dragons are scheduled for 11 free-to-air matches.

Grade: F

EELS

A relatively dream start to the season for Parramatta is a chance to springboard their title campaign and break their long-standing 34-year premiership drought.

After tackling the Broncos in round one, a side they have had recent success against, the Eels take on Storm, Sharks, Wests Tigers and Dragons, all at Bankwest Stadium.

But there are challenges for Brad Arthur, including two games against five of their fellow top six finalists and a pretty tough run home. The Eels have to overcome the Roosters, Rabbitohs and grand finalists Melbourne and Penrith in the final five rounds of the regular season.

Grade: B

Dylan Brown and the Eels have a handy start. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

KNIGHTS

Newcastle have a good start and a better finish is on the cards for 2021 — they don’t play a top eight side from this year until Round 6 and don’t play one of the premiership heavyweights in the final five weeks of the regular season. Given their penchant for late season fade-outs it’s a good result for the Knights as they look to build on this year’s finals berth.

Grade: B

PANTHERS

The grand finalists will be gunning for 10 straight wins at Panthers Stadium for the first time when they take on the North Queensland Cowboys in the opening round.

The grand final replay against Melbourne is scheduled for round three in front of their home crowd, which will be among the most anticipated clashes of the opening month of the NRL season.

The Panthers take on bottom eight sides Bulldogs, Sea Eagles, Broncos and Wests Tigers and fellow finalists Storm, Sharks, Rabbitohs, Roosters and the Eels twice.

Grade: B

Nathan Cleary and the Panthers open the season against the Cowboys. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

RABBITOHS

Melbourne haven’t lost a Round 1 match since 2001 and Souths have never beaten the Storm in Victoria, so we can just about put a line through them for the season opener. Outside of that things won’t get much easier for the Rabbitohs — from Round 8 to Round 14 they play six of last year’s top eight in a row.

Grade: D

RAIDERS

Canberra have a handy start to the year — the only play one top eight side from 2020 (Cronulla) in the opening month — before a tough eight-week stretch where they play six premiership contenders.

That’s capped off by taking on Melbourne and the Roosters back-to-back in Round 11 and Round 12. It’s a challenging draw for the Raiders — they play three of last year’s top four twice — but they’re good enough to rise to the challenge.

Grade: C

ROOSTERS

Trent Robinson’s men play the Storm, Raiders, Rabbitohs, Panthers and Eels twice and have five away games in six weeks directly after Origin, which could slow them down if they once again provide a host of players for both states. Four away games in five weeks to end the year doesn’t help matters either.

Grade: C

SEA EAGLES

Manly play five of last year’s top eight once and won’t double up on the Storm, Roosters or Rabbitohs, which should be a great help as Des Hasler attempts to pilot his team back to the finals. The back end of the season could also be kind to the Sea Eagles - in their final 12 games they only play two matches against last year’s top four.

Grade: C

SHARKS

A relatively tough opening month which includes a local derby against the Dragons in round one, a “home” game on the Sunshine Coast against the Cowboys and clashes against Canberra and Parramatta.

Another difficult run of matches awaits the Sharks in round eight where they face Melbourne (away), Penrith (away) and preliminary finalists South Sydney at Suncorp Stadium.

Josh Morris’ men will face five of this year’s bottom eight twice including: Broncos, Bulldogs, Cowboys, Dragons and Warriors.

The Sharks have scored eight free to air matches and no Thursday night matches.

Grade: C

STORM

Melbourne won the 2020 premiership playing almost entirely on the road, so their return to Victoria for the season opener promises to be a grand occasion.

Craig Bellamy’s men kick-off the season with a blockbuster against Wayne Bennett’s South Sydney on Thursday, March 11 at AAMI Park.

Outside of that, the trail could be a little rocky for the Storm — they play the Eels, Rabbitohs, Panthers, Raiders and Roosters twice. With or without Cameron Smith, that’s a lot to overcome.

Grade: D

TITANS

After ending the 2020 season with plenty of promise, and finishing two points outside the top eight, the Titans have a rollercoaster start to 2021.

They begin the season with an overseas trip to Mt Smart Stadium in New Zealand to face the Warriors before flying back home for a Round 2 grudge match against “big brothers” Brisbane.

The next four rounds they face a fairly winnable draw against the Cowboys (A), Raiders (H), Knights (H) and Manly (A).

In years gone by, it would seem a horrid draw for the Gold Coast but with the likes of David Fifita and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui in the pack, they have a real chance of starting the year strong.

Grade: B+

WARRIORS

After a year on the road, the Warriors’ return to New Zealand shapes as one of the blockbuster matches of 2021. Whether the planned return in Round 1 against the Titans comes off or we’re forced to wait a little longer it promises to be a real spectacle. Outside of that, it’s a handy draw for the Kiwi club — they only top four team they play twice is Melbourne and they have 16 turnarounds of a week or more between games.

Grade: B

WESTS TIGERS

The club with the longest finals drought in the NRL has a tough ask to kick off the 2020 campaign, travelling to Canberra in Round 1 before a home clash against the Roosters. That’s followed by matches against fellow 2020 finalists Newcastle and Parramatta in a brutal opening month. On the plus side they face the Storm, Roosters and Raiders just once each.

They also face a nice run home with just two top eight sides from 2020 in their final eight games.

Grade: B-