Magic Round draw: Dolphins receive top billing over rival Broncos as Raiders handed bye
A historic premiership wasn’t enough to land the Brisbane Broncos the prime time slot during Magic Round, while the minor premiers have been given the week off.
Champions Brisbane have again lost out to arch rivals the Dolphins for top billing at Magic Round as minor premiers Canberra were snubbed for the NRL carnival at Suncorp Stadium.
This masthead has obtained the draw for the seventh edition of Magic Round in 2026 and it can be revealed the Dolphins have ousted premiers Brisbane for the prized Friday night TV timeslot.
Meanwhile, Ricky Stuart’s Raiders will not appear at all, with the reigning minor premiers handed a bye for the eight-game extravaganza at Suncorp on the weekend of May 15-17 in round 11.
The Green Machine are the statistical kings of NRL Magic Round, with Canberra boasting an impressive five wins from six games since the birth of the concept in 2019.
But the team that dominated the 2025 regular season, winning a record 19 games, have been sidelined for next year’s instalment of Magic Round as the NRL’s AI-generated draw handed the Dolphins a golden slot.
The Broncos have traditionally been regarded as the Friday Night Football darlings with broadcasters but not even their first premiership in 19 years could knock off the Dolphins for a prime-time TV ratings bonanza.
Michael Maguire’s Broncos will face the Warriors in the penultimate game of Magic Round on Sunday, May 17, with superstar Brisbane fullback Reece Walsh to face the Kiwi club that gave him his NRL debut.
Brisbane’s River City rivals Redcliffe will bask in another broadcasting gift. The Dolphins played the Roosters last year in the red-hot Friday night timeslot and Redcliffe have retained the same top TV billing for a showdown with Wayne Bennett’s Rabbitohs on May 15.
There will be no love lost between the Dolphins and Rabbitohs given that Bennett was Redcliffe’s foundation mentor who groomed current coach Kristian Woolf to take charge of the Peninsula expansion outfit.
The Broncos will be desperate to atone for last year’s showing at Magic Round, when they were flogged 32-8 by four-time premiers Penrith in a Black Sunday capitulation.
Brisbane famously whipped the Warriors 42-12 in the preliminary final at Suncorp Stadium to qualify for the 2023 grand final and will be primed to inflict more pain on Andrew Webster’s outfit.
The Raiders traditionally enjoy good support at Suncorp and will be disappointed to miss out on Magic Round given their excellent win-loss record at the home of Queensland rugby league.
For the second consecutive year, the Sharks will kick-off NRL Magic Round with their Friday opener against the Bulldogs, while the Tigers start proceedings on Saturday, May 16 against Manly.
Following that game, Roosters marquee recruit Reece Robson is on a collision course with his former club the Cowboys, while the Eels round out Super Saturday against a familiar foe in the Storm.
It is the third time Melbourne will take on the embattled Eels, who have suffered Magic Round maulings of 48-16 (in 2024) and 64-10 (2019) against the grand finalists at Suncorp.
Suncorp’s Sunday action begins with the Titans, who face a Knights side boasting a 4-1 Magic Round record, while the Dragons and Panthers will close out the gala weekend in the graveyard shift.
St George Illawarra have a dismal 0-5 record in Magic Round and will be desperate to snap their Suncorp duck against former premiers Penrith.
A record 149,326 fans turned out for last year’s Magic Round event, which will officially begin on Thursday, May 14 with Game Two of the women’s State of Origin series between NSW and Queensland.
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