SBW and Dogs, Broncos and Cowboys set for round six blockbuster

ROUND six of the 2013 NRL season will see SBW and the Roosters take on the Bulldogs and the Brisbane Broncos clash with the Cowboys.

Shane Mattiske

ROUND six of the 2013 NRL season will see SBW and the Roosters take on the Bulldogs and the Brisbane Broncos clash with the Cowboys.

The much-anticipated schedule will be unveiled at 11am, although clubs were given a taste of their season late yesterday.

They include:

THE Roosters will meet South Sydney in the traditional season-opener on Thursday, March 7, despite a push from the Bulldogs to play Williams and the Roosters while the Broncos are expected to kick-off their 25-year celebrations in 2013 with a clash against Manly;

NORTH Queensland and the Broncos meet in a Queensland derby set to be played on Friday, April 12 at Suncorp Stadium;

THE replay of last year’s grand final between the Bulldogs and Storm will come as soon as round three, to be played in Melbourne;

IN round two, traditional rivals Manly and Newcastle will play a Sunday twilight match at Brookvale Oval, with Andrew Johns’ addition to the Sea Eagles coaching staff sure to add extra spice while the Roosters will take the Sonny Bill Roadshow to Eden Park in Auckland for their clash with the Warriors.

Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg had pitched strongly for a first-round clash between the Dogs and Roosters to take advantage of Williams' return to the code.

After the Roosters-Souths season-opener on a Thursday night, Brisbane will play Manly the following evening at Suncorp Stadium.

Other highlights of the season released to the clubs today include the Wests Tigers hosting the Sharks in a Friday night blockbuster on May 10.

That comes after favourite sons Beau Ryan and Chris Heighington signed with the Shire club late last season.

The Raiders and Dragons will meet in another Sunday twilight game in round three, while the Titans meet the Panthers in round 17 in Darwin.

And the Eels’ first assignment under new coach Ricky Stuart will be the Warriors on March 9.

Full draw details will be released on League Central tomorrow.