NRL draw 2023: Schedule disaster as rugby league clubs kicked off home grounds

The full impact from Australia hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup can finally be revealed — with some clubs set to be hit harder than others.

The FIFA World Cup is set to rip apart the NRL draw.

The rugby league playing schedule for next year is the toughest in the history of the game and an absolute nightmare for the NRL and clubs getting kicked off their home grounds.

The full impact from Australia hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup can finally be revealed with eight NRL venues out of play for between seven and nine weeks.

There are other considerations during the season including concerts, A-League and rugby union games where venues will be unavailable.

The impact on clubs will be most severe after State of Origin between rounds 17 and 25 in the countdown to the finals.

Matildas striker Sam Kerr will star at the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The tournament is set to rip apart the NRL draw. Picture: Getty

* Melbourne Storm will have to move out of AAMI to play home games at Marvel Stadium or in Geelong, somehow trying to fit them in between AFL games. They can’t even use their stadium gym.

* The Wests Tigers can’t play a home game for the last nine weeks at Leichhardt or Campbelltown. They will use CommBank Stadium.

* The Broncos will move to the Gabba for three home matches, scheduled in between Brisbane Lions AFL games.

* The Roosters will have to go back to the Sydney Cricket Ground for home games and move out of their Moore Park high performance centre.

* The Bulldogs will use Belmore Sports Ground for two games instead of one.

* Gosford Stadium, where Sydney clubs regularly play games, is also out of play for nine weeks.

NRL DRAW 2023 LATEST: Three byes, 31 weeks

Peter V'landys and co have a tough job on the NRL draw. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Steven Saphore

Throw in the fact that the Dolphins join the competition as the 17th team, there has to be three byes for each club and minimum five-day turnarounds.

It’s just lucky that the third State of Origin game for Sydney will be squeezed in days before Accor becomes unavailable for the soccer.

This is not just a problem at the back end of the season.

In round one, Accor Stadium is out of play in hosting Harry Styles concerts on two nights.

Then there’s the AFL’s plan to play a Magic Round in Sydney that would again put Accor out of business.

Seriously, you wouldn’t want Andrew Abdo’s job for a million dollars.

He’s not just trying to produce a playing schedule under the most difficult circumstances by mid-November for the TV networks, the clubs and the fans.

A Harry Styles concert will disrupt the opening round of NRL. Picture: Getty

There also the RLPA and the clubs blowing up about the sluggish and painful progress of future funding decisions.

The NRL financial year starts on Tuesday yet the 16 clubs still have no salary cap locked in and no idea on their annual funding distributions.

The players still have no collective bargaining agreement.

Teams are about to return to training with unregistered players with no insurance because of the delays.

A week after Panthers boss Brian Fletcher attacked the NRL over grand final prizemoney, South Sydney chief executive Blake Solly has doubled down on them.

Solly says the clubs have run out of patience.

“The RLPA and Clubs have been at the table since February and the entire industry now needs some certainty ASAP,” Solly said, “It’s got to be their highest priority.”

Solly has been on a committee representing the 16 clubs for eight months on funding.

First with former Channel Nine boss Hugh Marks, who has now suddenly and mysteriously disappeared from the negotiations.

“The clubs support Clint Newton’s comments about the need for a CBA and club distribution deal to be concluded as a matter of urgency,” Solly said.

“Peter (V’landys) and Andrew recently announced how strong the NRL’s financial position is going to be.

“That’s great news and they’ve both done a fantastic job navigating through difficult waters.

“The player and club requests are entirely fair and reasonable given this strong position.

“It’s a fact that 90% of the Commission’s revenues are generated by the NRL competition, its clubs and players.”

RLPA boss Clint Newton says there are also massive issues to be sorted with the NRLW comp.

“There are 10 NRLW teams that right now can’t sign any players,” he said, “Not one.

“They don’t know the salary cap. They don’t know how long their season goes for. They don’t know the minimum wage. They don’t know what’s available for relocation. There are markers in place showing what it may look like but nothing’s official. We really need to get everything sorted.”