By Michael Chammas and Christian Nicolussi
The NRL has been forced into an 11th-hour rethink of its first-round draw following complaints from host broadcasters after the draft schedule was made public.
This masthead on Thursday published the draft round-one schedule before the NRL’s planned announcement of the 2024 season draw on Monday. But the report prompted a backlash from some of the game’s key stakeholders.
The NRL has since cancelled meetings with clubs scheduled to begin on Thursday afternoon and postponed all correspondence about the draw until Friday morning.
Sources talking under the condition of anonymity due to confidentiality agreements said that Nine Entertainment Co, the publisher of this masthead, was not happy about having the Newcastle v Canberra match scheduled on free-to-air TV on the Thursday night following the landmark double-header in Las Vegas the week before.
As a result, the NRL is now considering a reshuffle of the round-one dates – not the match-ups – and could move the Parramatta v Bulldogs clash at CommBank Stadium from Saturday to Thursday night.
Complicating matters is the A-League fixture between the Western Sydney Wanderers and Western United at CommBank Stadium on Friday March 8. The Wanderers could raise concerns about having to play football on a pitch just 24 hours after a game of rugby league. Accor Stadium, the Bulldogs’ home ground, is also out of action due to concerts being held at the venue.
Expected round one schedule
- Rabbitohs v Sea Eagles (March 2 in Las Vegas)
- Broncos v Roosters (March 2 in Las Vegas)
- Knights v Raiders
- Warriors v Sharks
- Storm v Panthers
- Eels v Bulldogs
- Titans v Dragons
- Dolphins v Cowboys
- Bye: Wests Tigers
One thing that won’t change is that the Benji Marshall era at the Wests Tigers will be delayed until the second week of the competition, with the back-to-back wooden-spooners set to be handed the bye in the opening round.
Penrith are expected to begin their title defence against Melbourne two weeks after a potential World Club Challenge campaign against Super League champions Wigan Warriors. The Panthers were originally drafted to be the main game on Channel Nine on Friday night, and that is unlikely to change.
Shane Flanagan’s era at the Dragons will begin with an away trip to Queensland to take on fellow returning coach Des Hasler and his Gold Coast Titans.
The Knights will take on the Raiders in a game that was originally scheduled for Thursday night but which could now also be moved.
The Warriors are scheduled to take on the Sharks and the
Dolphins are set to host the North Queensland Cowboys in an all-Queensland affair at Suncorp Stadium.
The round will be split across two weeks, with South Sydney and Manly to open the season in Las Vegas followed by Brisbane and the Sydney Roosters in the double-header at Allegiant Stadium on March 2 (March 3 in Australia).
The four teams involved in Las Vegas will play each other over the opening three rounds of the season to provide consistency and balance to the draw.
The Rabbitohs will play against the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium in round two before taking on arch rivals the Roosters at Allianz Stadium in round three. The Sea Eagles will play the Roosters in round two and the Broncos in round three.
Round-one stars: Brisbane’s Reece Walsh, Newcastle’s Kalyn Ponga and Penrith’s Dylan Edwards.Credit: Getty
The Panthers, meanwhile, are open to missing the pre-season challenge – and a potential prize of $100,000 – if it makes it easier for them to travel to England for the World Club Challenge.
The NRL is expected to announce its pre-season challenge draw as early as Friday, but Penrith officials confirmed they were unsure how their early season schedule would look.
Should they play against Wigan on February 24, they are happy to be excluded from the second edition of the pre-season tournament.
“If the World Club Challenge comes to fruition, we’re happy not to play a trial,” Panthers CEO Matt Cameron said.
Pre-season schedule
- February 11: Rabbitohs v Sea Eagles on Central Coast
- February 16: Indigenous All Stars v Maori All Stars
Pre-season week one (February 15-18)
- Dogs v Storm at Belmore
- Sharks v Knights at Central Coast Stadium
- Manly v Roosters at Central Coast Stadium
- Warriors v Tigers at TBC
- Broncos v Cowboys at Mackay
- Dragons v Rabbitohs at Kogarah
- Eels v Raiders at Kogarah
- Dolphins v Titans at Sunshine Coast
Pre-season week two (February February 22-25)
- Sharks v Bulldogs at Cronulla
- Roosters v Rabbitohs at Cronulla
- Dragons v Tigers in Mudgee
- Manly v Broncos in Manly
- Titans v Eels in Ipswich
- Storm v Knights in Fiji
- Raiders v Cowboys in Queanbeyan
“We’re working with Wigan, NRL and Super League are in dialogue at the moment about the game, and we’re working on the premise we’ll be heading there. Our players who do not travel over will need a game but whether that’s an actual trial I’m not sure.”
Las Vegas-bound South Sydney and Manly will play a Sunday afternoon trial on February 11 on the Central Coast, six days before the Bunnies and St George Illawarra meet in the Charity Shield at Kogarah.
Parramatta and Canberra will play in the Charity Shield curtain-raiser. Canterbury host Melbourne on a Thursday night at Belmore in week one of the pre-season challenge. Clubs have been informed the Indigenous All Stars and Maori All Stars fixture will be held on February 16, a Friday night.
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