Raiders boss Don Furner claims NRL rigged 2026 draw in favour of Brisbane Broncos

One of the NRL’s simmering rivalries has kicked up a gear, after the Raiders claimed that the Broncos have been unfairly given more home games by the league.

Canberra boss Don Furner has taken a swipe at the Broncos by sensationally claiming the NRL “orchestrate” the season draw to give Brisbane more home games at Suncorp Stadium.

Finals tensions between the Broncos and Raiders have spilled over into the release of the 2026 season draw on Friday, with Furner suggesting the reigning premiers get a rails run with the NRL.

The Broncos are annually installed as the ‘away’ team for Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium _ despite the hallowed 52,000-capacity venue being Brisbane’s home ground.

That effectively guarantees Brisbane an extra home match, while their Dolphins derbies are also played at Suncorp, meaning the Broncos will play a whopping 14 games at their Queensland Fortress in 2026.

There is no love lost between the two clubs after the Broncos broke Canberra’s hearts with a pulsating 29-28 golden-point victory in this year’s epic qualifying final at GIO Stadium.

In what could be viewed as the ultimate farce, the Warriors, a New Zealand club, have been named as the ‘home’ side for their Magic Round clash next season against the Broncos at Suncorp in round 11

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Canberra and Brisbane were involved in a heated finals game last season.

Furner lashed the construction of the NRL draw, questioning why the Broncos are the away team for Magic Round and pondering when Brisbane will be given a bye for the event.

The Raiders have received the bye for the seventh edition of Magic Round in 2026.

“Everybody has to take a turn (at missing Magic Round), so it will work it’s way around and we will get our turn in 2027,” Furner said.

“I can’t wait to see when the Broncos have their turn (to get a Magic Round bye).”

Asked if it’s surprising that the Broncos get an away game at Magic Round every year, Furner added: “No, that’s orchestrated for them.

“I think they end up playing 14 games at home because they also play Redcliffe there.

“They are very, very lucky but I can’t wait for the year they miss out on Magic Round.”

It’s understood the Broncos are contracted to play 12 home games at Suncorp Stadium, excluding Magic Round.

Furner found an ally in former Broncos skipper Corey Parker, who blasted the NRL for sidelining Canberra, the reigning minor premiers, for Magic Round.

“I’m having a dig at the NRL,” Parker said on his SEN radio show.

“The minor premiers, the best team, the most consistent team throughout the course of the season last year, are not there.

“(It is) an absolute disgrace ... to not see the Raiders, who were the best team last year

“Why aren’t we seeing the minor premiers this year, on the big stage here at Suncorp next year.

“I think it’s ridiculous.”

The minor premiership wasn’t enough to secure Canberra’s spot at Magic Round.

Furner, one of the longest-serving chief executives in the NRL, said the Raiders had a huge fan base in Queensland.

“It’s fine for us, but for our fans in Queensland, we are well supported up there,” he said.

“I think we are the second favourite team up there in Queensland.

“We are an exciting team to watch.

“I didn’t know this, but we have won five of our six games up there, so we play well up there.”

The rivalry between the two clubs took another twist during the week when this masthead revealed Broncos halfback young gun Coby Black would quit the club to join the Raiders in 2027.

Furner believes Queensland under-19s sensation Black, who has yet to play NRL, will relish his move to the nation’s capital.

“Coby is young,” Furner said.

“By the time he gets here in 2027, he will be at a good age.

“We do have a youth policy, we brought Ethan Sanders through and it paid dividends in the year just gone.

“It is a young person’s game, particularly in the backs, so we are excited about those guys.”