All 17 teams now know the path to the 2024 finals, when they’ve got tough spots, their three byes and five-day turnarounds.
Cronulla look like they’ve again lucked out with a relatively soft schedule while the four teams that have to travel to Las Vegas to start the season – Brisbane, Manly, Souths and the Roosters – will face off against each other for the first three rounds.
Here’s how each team’s schedule for 2024 breaks down.
BRISBANE
Top-four opponents – 5, top-eight opponents – 10, five-day turnarounds – 1, free-to-air matches – 13, teams off the bye – 2
Travel to Penrith in round three to try to avenge last season’s grand final heartbreak and are no longer the team with the most free-to-air games, with South Sydney swiping their long-held crown.
CANBERRA
Top-four opponents – 5, top-eight opponents – 11, five-day turnarounds – 1, free-to-air matches – 7, teams off the bye – 2*
Will need to wait until round 21 to face favourite son-turned South Sydney recruit Jack Wighton. Spared playing either of last year’s grand finalists twice.
CANTERBURY
Top-four opponents – 5, top-eight opponents – 13, five-day turnarounds – 0, free-to-air matches – 6, teams off the bye – 5*
Face teams fresh from the bye in three consecutive weeks between rounds 11 and 13. Face five of last season’s top eight twice but only one of those is a top four side.
CRONULLA
Top-four opponents – 5, top-eight opponents – 9, five-day turnarounds – 2, free-to-air matches – 10, teams off the bye – 3*
The big winners out of the draw, facing only one of last year’s top-four twice but playing all of the bottom four twice.
DOLPHINS
Top-four opponents – 7, top-eight opponents – 12, five-day turnarounds – 2, free-to-air matches – 11, teams off the bye – 2
Don’t have to leave Queensland until round seven but are the only team playing in all three rounds when State of Origin players are unavailable.
GOLD COAST
Top-four opponents – 7, top-eight opponents – 13, five-day turnarounds – 1, free-to-air matches – 5, teams off the bye – 1*
Have the fewest free-to-air games of any Australian-based side. New coach Des Hasler meets former side Manly twice, in rounds seven and 20.
MANLY
Top-four opponents – 6, top-eight opponents – 12, five-day turnarounds – 0, free-to-air matches – 10, teams off the bye – 0
The only team that has both no five-day turnarounds and faces no teams off the bye. Won’t have the chance to host former coach Des Hasler until July.
MELBOURNE
Top-four opponents – 6, top-eight opponents – 12, five-day turnarounds – 3, free-to-air matches – 12, teams off the bye – 3*
The hard luck story, facing all the other top-four sides from 2023 twice and playing 12 of a possible 14 games against 2023 finalists.
NEWCASTLE
Top-four opponents – 7, top-eight opponents – 11, five-day turnarounds – 1, free-to-air matches – 12, teams off the bye – 1
Have five more free-to-air games than last season and host the first game in Australia, a Thursday night clash with Canberra in round one.
NORTH QUEENSLAND
Top-four opponents – 6, top-eight opponents – 12, five-day turnarounds – 1, free-to-air matches – 10, teams off the bye – 4*
Struggled away from home in 2023 but only have to leave Townsville twice after round 17. Avoid trips to Auckland and Melbourne in another boost to improving their away record.
PARRAMATTA
Top-four opponents – 7, top-eight opponents – 12, five-day turnarounds – 3, free-to-air matches – 12, teams off the bye – 5*
After famously struggling against teams off the bye early in 2023, the Eels face three sides with fresh legs in the final four weeks of the season. Have the equal-most five-day turnarounds.
PENRITH
Top-four opponents – 5, top-eight opponents – 10 , five-day turnarounds – 3, free-to-air matches – 13, teams off the bye – 3*
A tough start to the season as was the case in 2023, meeting Melbourne, Brisbane and the Sydney Roosters inside the opening month, as well as Parramatta, their Kryptonite in recent seasons.
SOUTH SYDNEY
Top-four opponents – 7, top-eight opponents – 13, five-day turnarounds – 1, free-to-air matches – 14, teams off the bye – 2*
No side has more free-to-air games and on 19 occasions they have a break of seven or more days, more than any other side.
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA
Top-four opponents – 5, top-eight opponents – 11, five-day turnarounds – 1, free-to-air matches – 8, teams off the bye – 1
The unlucky side to miss out on Magic Round this season. New coach Shane Flanagan faces former side Cronulla twice, with the home game hosted in Wollongong.
SYDNEY ROOSTERS
Top-four opponents – 6, top-eight opponents – 10, five-day turnarounds – 2, free-to-air matches – 13, teams off the bye – 1*
A tough trot to begin things, playing five clashes against last season’s top four teams in the opening 10 weeks, without a bye in that period. Face bitter rivals South Sydney twice, in round three and the weekend before finals.
WARRIORS
Top-four opponents – 4, top-eight opponents – 11, five-day turnarounds – 1, free-to-air matches – 4, teams off the bye – 1*
The easiest run of last year’s top four, facing only one top four team in the opening 10 weeks. Don’t have a five-day turnaround until round 24 and a bye in the last week gives them the perfect platform to launch into finals.
WESTS TIGERS
Top-four opponents – four, top-eight opponents – 11, five-day turnarounds – 3, free-to-air matches – 8, teams off the bye – 2
A meeting with former halfback Luke Brooks isn’t scheduled until round 25 but they’ll host it at spiritual home Leichhardt Oval. Start with the bye and again face Penrith in Bathurst, the scene of last season’s biggest upset.
*Does not include instances when the team themselves are also coming off the bye.
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