The 2023 NRL draw has been released, defined by the addition of the Dolphins. Our League guru Mat Barnes has collated five key takeaways and six juicy games to chuck in the diary.
The newly released 2023 NRL draw guarantees to deliver a season like no other.
The inclusion of the Dolphins as the 17th team has completely revamped the competition, and will undoubtedly alter the strategy of each organisation.
Let’s delve into the key takeaways, and early-season matchups of a groundbreaking year ahead.
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2023 NRL Draw key takeaways
The New Format
To accommodate the Dolphins the NRL have extended the regular season to 27 rounds with an early kickoff on March 2nd. Home-and-away games will remain at 24 per club with the addition of three byes each. This results in at least one club on bye every round; that number extending to three or seven during specific weeks throughout the Origin period.
The negative? We won’t get to watch every team, every week. The positive? The extra rest will provide better welfare for players which should result in a better standard of play throughout the season.
Fantasy/SuperCoach Implications
Let’s just address the elephant in the room shall we? As if fantasy football wasn’t stressful enough, the NRL have already increased the heart rates of thousands of league fans across the nation by throwing a real spanner in the works with its 2023 NRL Draw.
You would expect the string-pullers of NRL Fantasy and SuperCoach to react accordingly to the new format by supplying extra weekly trades at a minimum – and perhaps the addition of wildcards as seen in Fantasy Premier League? There will be key players missing every week and it will play particular havoc during the must-win ‘fantasy playoffs’ at the end of the regular season. Whatever eventuates, this change is certain to shake-up Fantasy rugby league as we know it, and test the managerial acumen of those playing like never before!
State of Origin
The unfortunate scrapping of Representative Round and its International fixtures means State of Origin will return to a trio of Wednesday nights for the first time since 2017. The Adelaide Oval will host Game One on May 31st for just the second time in history, Brisbane lights-up for Game Two on June 21st, before a possible decider in Game Three falls in Sydney on July 12th.
Billy Slater’s young Maroons were prodigious in their two victories in 2022 and will only improve. While an embarrassed Blues outfit with the likely inclusions of Tom Trbojevic, Latrell Mitchell and Josh Addo-Carr will be desperate to atone. Off the back of perhaps the greatest Origin game in recent memory, it sets the stage for another mouth-watering series jammed right in the midst of the 2023 NRL Draw.
NRL Heads West
They might not have an Origin match next year but NRL action returns to Perth in Round 23 for the first time in over five years.
Optus Stadium rolls out the red carpet for an intriguing double-header that’s predicted to have the full spectrum of the NRL ladder covered; the lowly-rated Dolphins and Knights doing battle in the undercard, before competition heavyweights South Sydney and Cronulla collide in the main event – a match with potentially huge finals ramifications. The corresponding double-header in Round 1, 2018 produced plenty of fireworks for West Australian league tragics who will be hoping it delivers again.
Warriors’ homecoming
Speaking of returning, New Zealand based Warriors fans will be treated to a full slate of home games after a three season hiatus! In addition to their quota of fixtures at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland, the NRL gospel will also spread to Wellington, Napier and Hamilton – the latter a Wests Tigers’ home game. It is disappointing no other clubs did the same following the Warriors’ sacrifice over the past three seasons due to the pandemic, but is exciting to see regular NRL action across the ditch again nonetheless.
2023 NRL Draw: Big matchups to pencil in
Round 1 – Dolphins vs Roosters
History will be made on Sunday the 5th of March 2023 when the Dolphins play their maiden NRL game at Suncorp Stadium. They will become the newest club to enter the NRL since the Gold Coast Titans in 2007, who coincidentally played their first match at the same venue.
Much like their new south east Queensland rivals who narrowly lost to a stacked Dragons’ side sixteen years ago – a stirring first-up performance will go a long way towards a respectable first season and NRL longevity.
Round 3 – Roosters vs Rabbitohs
Let’s admit it, their spiteful Elimination Final brought the bruiser out in all of us and has anticipation for the next instalment of Australian rugby league’s oldest rivalry at an all time high. The Sunday afternoon glow of September will be replaced by the Friday night lights of March as the revamped Allianz Stadium again plays host to the two biggest clubs in Sydney.
The Roosters will be out for revenge, while the Bunnies will be aiming to assert their recent dominance of five wins in the past six clashes over their fierce foe. Regardless of the result, it will be unmissable viewing.
Round 3 – Bulldogs vs Tigers
This match-up might not register on the radar of most league fans considering the stature of both clubs leading into 2023, but deserves plenty of interest as new recruits meet old enemies. 2022 Grand Final rakes Reed Mahoney and Api Koroisau will resume their battle in the middle, albeit with an exchange of rampaging edge forwards as Villiame Kikau joins Mahoney at the Dogs, and Isaiah Papali’i with Koroisau at the Tigers respectively.
Coupled with improving rosters and the nostalgia of two western Sydney clubs doing battle on Sunday afternoon at the iconic Belmore Sports Grounds – it’s a smoky for an early season epic!
Round 4 – Eels vs Panthers
Who doesn’t love a fiery Grand Final rematch? Parramatta have stood-up to the might of Penrith in recent years but on Grand Final night, the Panthers were an undeniable class above. A lot can change over an off-season and both clubs have lost key personnel.
It’s tough to see the Panthers regressing but many pundits believe the Eels’ Premiership window to be rapidly closing. Will the signing of veteran hooker Josh Hodgson help keep it ajar for one season longer? This Thursday night blockbuster should give us the perfect indication.
Round 10 – Sea Eagles vs Broncos
Anthony Siebold was banished from the Broncos with his reputation and NRL coaching career seemingly in a state of disrepair. Fast forward two years and the man who was made the scapegoat for Brisbane’s shortfalls has been given another opportunity on the Northern Beaches.
Siebold must galvanise a split playing group before all else, but you can bet your life he has already circled this fixture on the calendar. A win against Brisbane might only be worth two points on paper, but holds a hell of a lot more value to Siebold who is aiming to reestablish his coaching credibility at the top level.
Round 12 – Dolphins vs Storm
Bellamy, Bennett, and the battle of the broken brotherhood. When handed the reins of the Dolphins for their inaugural season, Wayne Bennett instantly knew where to look for experienced heads that would help set team standards. Before the 2022 season had even commenced, Melbourne veterans Felise Kaufusi, Jesse and Kenny Bromwich had signed with the Dolphins for 2023 and will now bring the wisdom of 684 combined NRL games and sustained Premiership success with them. In addition, the much-hyped fallout between Bennett and Storm star Cam Munster following his decision to reject the Dolphins and remain at Melbourne will add an extra bit of spice to the encounter.
