The Bunnies have drawn heavyweights Melbourne, Canberra, Canterbury, Cronulla and the Roosters among teams they play twice. Those big games tend to fall in clumps of three- and four-week stretches, too, for Souths, whose past two seasons have been two of the more injury-riddled on record. The Rabbitohs are on the road early in 2026 with trips to Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane and Suncorp Stadium before the Origin period.
Difficulty: 2nd
Storm
Melbourne will appreciate two byes during the Origin period and another after their round 23 home game against Manly in Perth. Especially considering clashes with Penrith, Brisbane and Cronulla round out their regular season. Only two of their last seven games are at AAMI Park, while they play their fellow top-four sides Brisbane, Canberra and Canterbury twice in 2026.
Difficulty: 3rd
Tigers
There is potential for early wins in the Tigers draw (they face the Cowboys, Rabbitohs, Eels and Knights in the first six weeks) – and they need them. The next two months brings arguably the toughest run for any side next season: Brisbane, Canberra, Cronulla, Melbourne, Manly, Canterbury and Penrith (with a bye in the middle) is nothing short of brutal.
Difficulty: Equal 4th
Lachlan Galvin and Jarome Luai will clash once more in round 13.Credit: NRL Photos
Broncos
Three byes during the State of Origin period is a blessing, with 12 games against last year’s top eight. Marquee clashes against Penrith and Melbourne in the first three weeks are only trumped by what is effectively an early start to the finals – Brisbane have drawn the Warriors, Raiders, Storm and Bulldogs in rounds 24-27. The broadcast favourites have 13 games on free-to-air TV this season, equal with Melbourne, Canterbury and South Sydney.
Difficulty: Equal 4th
Cowboys
North Queensland play 11 games against last year’s top eight and take on Queensland rivals Brisbane, Gold Coast and the Dolphins twice in 2026. The Cowboys have the equal most games (four) against teams coming off the bye, but unlike other sides in that scenario who have also had a bye, North Queensland will have played the week before.
Difficulty: 6th
Titans
Premiers Brisbane are the only top-four side the Gold Coast face twice next season, along with the Cowboys, Dolphins, Dragons, Sea Eagles, Knights, Sharks and Warriors. Their five-day turnaround at least falls between home games against the Warriors and Cowboys in rounds 22 and 23. The Titans have just two games on Channel Nine in 2026 – that Thursday night clash against North Queensland and a June 14 trip to Leichhardt Oval to play the Tigers.
Difficulty: Equal 7th
Roosters
Typically slow starters to a season, the Chooks face the Warriors (away), arch rivals South Sydney and Penrith in a tough opening. Two of their byes land before Origins I and III but in between it’s a rough old run on the road with away trips to Melbourne, Canberra and Suncorp Stadium, where they play the Dolphins and then return a fortnight later against the Broncos.
Former teammates Tom Trbojevic and Daly Cherry-Evans will go head to head at 4 Pines Park in round four, 2026.Credit: Getty/Michael Howard
Difficulty: Equal 7th
Bulldogs
A round-two bye after hosting the Dragons in Las Vegas is a godsend before a trip to Canberra. Canterbury’s finish to the year is among the toughest of any team, with clashes against the Warriors, Storm, Roosters, Panthers and Broncos featuring in their last seven weeks. The caveat, though, is that after Magic Round in late May, the Bulldogs only leave Sydney twice for the rest of the season – a round 17 trip to the Gold Coast, and round 22 in Melbourne.
Difficulty: 9th
Dolphins
No five-day turnaround for Kristian Woolf’s side and 12 games on free-to-air TV next year – a reflection of their growing popularity and entertainers status. Rounds 7-12, where the Dolphins face Penrith, the Warriors, Melbourne, Canterbury, Souths and Canberra, could either make or break their season. Especially given they will host the Panthers in Darwin and eight days later travel to Wellington, New Zealand.
Difficulty: Equal 10th
Dragons
Can the Dragons and coach Shane Flanagan defy wooden spoon predictions in 2026?Credit: Getty Images
St George Illawarra only play Brisbane, Melbourne, Penrith, Canberra and the Roosters once in 2026 and their clash with the Broncos falls a few days after Origin I, when the premiers’ biggest stars could well be rested. The Dragons’ first bye isn’t until round nine – even with a Las Vegas season-opener rolling into a home match against Melbourne in round 2 – but from round 19, they don’t leave Sydney.
Difficulty: Equal 10th
Knights
Newcastle have 11 games against last year’s top eight and five against the top four – Canberra are the only one of those heavyweights who they play twice. Two byes fall leading into Origin I and II while the Knights have a two-week turnaround from their season-opener in Las Vegas into a round-two trip to Brookvale. Six free-to-air games is among the fewest in the NRL, with only the Titans (two) and Warriors (three) getting fewer on Channel Nine.
Difficulty: Equal 10th
Eels coach Jason Ryles.Credit: Getty Images
Eels
Season starts don’t get any tougher than Parramatta’s – they’ve drawn 2025 grand finalists Melbourne and Brisbane. Penrith await just around the corner as well in round four. That said, their run into the finals (and plenty fancy them as a smokey this year) is favourable, with Cronulla the only top-eight side they’ve drawn from round 22 onwards.
Difficulty: 13th
Raiders
Canberra have drawn the Panthers, Storm, Bulldogs and Sharks twice in 2026, and once again they’ll be road warriors early on. Two home games follow a round-two trip to Auckland but three games in Newcastle, Perth (against South Sydney) and Canberra (against Melbourne) in 13 days is tough by any measure. A mid-season run with games against 2025 bottom nine sides Wests Tigers, Gold Coast, the Dolphins and Cowboys follows.
Difficulty: 14th
Cronulla have been blessed by the 2026 draw.Credit: Getty Images
Sharks
Along with Manly and the Warriors, Cronulla are the only side to draw seven games against 2025 also-rans Newcastle, Gold Coast, St George Illawarra and South Sydney. The Sharks’ third and final bye lands in between Origins II and III this year, which will make for a long run home. But of the expected heavyweights, they will only play Brisbane, Melbourne, Penrith and Canterbury once.
Difficulty: 15th
Sea Eagles
Loading
No complaints from Manly. They start the year with three home games at Brookvale, don’t have a single five-day turnaround and play just 10 games against last year’s top eight (equal fewest with Cronulla and the Warriors). Premiers Brisbane only feature once on their radar, as do Canberra, Canterbury, the Warriors, Panthers and Roosters, while Melbourne have moved their home game against the Sea Eagles from AAMI Park to Perth.
Difficulty: 16th
Warriors
The Warriors’ draw always comes with the most travel of any side (once US jaunts are discounted) but is offset by playing the Raiders, Storm and Bulldogs just once. Along with 14 games against last year’s bottom nine, it’s a favourable run. Like Cronulla, their last bye comes before Origin III and is followed by a run home that features only the Bulldogs, Panthers and Broncos from last year’s top eight in the final nine weeks of the regular season.
Difficulty: 17th
