Parra had a deal with Darwin
Penrith had Orange/Bathurst
Roosters I think do Gosford?
Can’t remember who goes there but Mudgee and Tamworth get games most years.
Perth gets a double header as well as a game later in the year
NRL NRL 2025 Draw
- Thread starter RiceOwl
- Start date
NZWarriors.com
I think once they get 20 teams. We should have a few less games per season. Maybe everyone plays everyone once. Plus three rivalry games which can be allocated by consensus. For the Warriors if there is a South Island we can play them as one rivalry game. We can play and lose to the Storm since traditionally we have a rivalry with them. And the third team is the titans as there is a burgeoning rivalry with them since they put 66 points on us. And each year you should just play your rivals or there can be a discussion about reshuffling the rivalries some times. That will give 22 games to each team and then I think we should stop the season half way through for a mid season refuelling and injury recovery. And in that period play three weeks of State of Origin. The current state of origin is a farce with players backing up after three days rest because their teams need them. (I liked this idea enough that I just submitted this to the NRL).
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NZWarriors.com
Each year you could play each team once and then add in a conference round where you play teams for a second time. 5 conferences of 4 gives you 3 extra games or 4 conferences of 5 gives you 4 extra games. The conferences decided by regular season finishing position from last season. Top 4 or 5 play each other twice, next 4 or 5 etc etc
I think it should be like the NFL where you play a different conference every year. So say 4 conferences and the South Conference plays the north conference that year. Then maybe the best 2 teams of the conferences that arent in the finals have a wildcard round to see who makes the last spots in the finals. Somthing like that.
NZWarriors.com
This is so great - a fine tradition, thanks Ricky - 'imbalanced' indeed
Winners and losers: Every NRL team’s draw ranked 1-17 as Wayne and Madge handed brutal task
‘Left me stunned’: Ricky fumes at Raiders run as Bunnies, Bennett cop it — Every side’s draw ranked
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First away trip for me. Magic round tickets are now out.
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Warriors: Key points from the 2025 NRL draw for Auckland club ahead of critical season
By Michael Burgess
Specialist Multimedia Sports Journalist·NZ Herald·
22 Dec, 2024 08:00 AM4 mins to read
The Warriors will begin their season in Las Vegas in 2025. Photo / Photosport
The Warriors have their schedule for 2025 – a season where they need to bounce back. Michael Burgess looks at the key points from their NRL draw
Overall verdict
On the surface, it is quite generous. Among the big guns, they only have to face Penrith, Melbourne and the Roosters once, while they have also avoided double assignments against the Rabbitohs (who will be formidable – surely – under Wayne Bennett) and Cronulla.
Of the clubs they play twice, only Newcastle and Manly are coming off top eight campaigns last season. They also don’t have to travel to Townsville – one of the most demanding trips in the NRL – or Canberra. And after the season opener in Las Vegas, they have consecutive games at Mt Smart to recalibrate.
The first half of the season
That is always the most important aspect of any Warriors draw. There are some exceptions but generally, every successful Warriors campaign has been built on a strong start, as the Auckland club often struggle to find their best in July and August. Look at their previous two finals seasons. In 2018 they flew out of the blocks – with a 5-0 start – then maintained from there – while in 2023 they had a 5-2 record after seven rounds. Last year they lost close matches to the Sharks and Storm in the first two rounds and were chasing their tail from there.
In 2025 the Warriors’ resilience will be tested in the first half of the season. They have only four games at Mt Smart, all against tough opponents, travel to Melbourne, Wollongong and Campbelltown, and face the Rabbitohs in Sydney. But they will enjoy two trips to Suncorp – with a lot of Kiwi support – and will be hard to beat in Christchurch. If they can come through with a positive record, the second half of the season features six matches in Auckland, including games against the Titans, Dragons and Eels.
The byes
The placement of the rest weeks isn’t ideal. The first comes after a month – off the back of Las Vegas, two home games and a trip to face the Tigers. The next two are within the space of four weeks, in mid-June and mid-July, within the State of Origin period, which is usually a time for the Warriors to make hay. It also means an unbroken nine-game stretch to end the season.
The long-awaited return of the Panthers
Hosting a match against Penrith – for the first time since 2019 – was one of two specific requests the club made to the NRL. As well as bringing the four-time premiers back to Auckland, it also means they won’t have to face the Panthers in Magic Round, a match that was usually staged in blazing afternoon heat.
The other wish, which was granted, was the Anzac Day match in Christchurch. It’s a smart move, capitalising on the current boom in league’s popularity in the Garden City, while also reinforcing the concept of the Warriors as a nationwide rather than Auckland club.
The litmus test
Between late April and the last week of May, the Warriors have four consecutive road trips to Christchurch, Brisbane, Wollongong and Brisbane again, as they face the Knights, Broncos, Dragons and Dolphins. In a season where the club will travel approximately 75,000km – three times more than the NRL average – that will be the most gruelling period.
The wish list
The Warriors have to restore Mt Smart as a fortress to have any playoff hopes. That means winning at least one of their first two home games to set the tone, though it won’t be easy, as the Roosters and Sea Eagles are traditionally fast starters.
They’ll also want to replicate their 2023 success across the Tasman, where they managed one of the best away records in club history. The biggest statement of all would be a victory in Melbourne, to finally snap the negative streak against the Storm, which dates back to 2015.
‘Quite generous’: The key points from the Warriors' 2025 NRL draw
On the surface, the Warriors draw for the 2025 season is quite kind
NZWarriors.com
Our draw to start the season isn't too bad.
Round 1 - Canberra Vegas
Round 2 - Manly Auckland
Round 3 - Roosters Auckland
Round 4 - Tigers Sydney
The Vegas game could go any way. Either like a lot of hyped games in the past we see nerves under the big lights either heartbreak things fall apart. Or it could end up as a good way to kick off the season. We have been doing well against Canberra the last few years.
Many and the Roosters aren't the formidable sides of the past. The Roosters have lost a few key players. Last year our home record was pretty terrible these two weeks are a good chance to make a start in turning that around.
The Tigers have been terrible for years. They have recruited and their confidence will be at its highest earlier in the season. We also need to improve our away record if we want to make the finals.
None of these games I am confident about and the results in the early rounds can be unpredictable. But the draw is pretty favourable if we are good enough.
Round 1 - Canberra Vegas
Round 2 - Manly Auckland
Round 3 - Roosters Auckland
Round 4 - Tigers Sydney
The Vegas game could go any way. Either like a lot of hyped games in the past we see nerves under the big lights either heartbreak things fall apart. Or it could end up as a good way to kick off the season. We have been doing well against Canberra the last few years.
Many and the Roosters aren't the formidable sides of the past. The Roosters have lost a few key players. Last year our home record was pretty terrible these two weeks are a good chance to make a start in turning that around.
The Tigers have been terrible for years. They have recruited and their confidence will be at its highest earlier in the season. We also need to improve our away record if we want to make the finals.
None of these games I am confident about and the results in the early rounds can be unpredictable. But the draw is pretty favourable if we are good enough.
A pretty depleted roosters team as well but we know anyone can beat anyone on there day
Pretty important that the club gets off to a good start. A win in Vegas would do wonders for player morale.
If the players are enjoying their footy, we will see wins akin to 2023.
NZWarriors.com
Good clubs start slow and build into the season, drop a few games early but then peak come finals.
I don’t think we’re good enough to have that luxury. We need to go hard out the gates and catch the better teams while they are still building.
With wart wins comes confidence, then who knows.
very difficult to pick what will go down against Canberra because of all the variables, first game, in the states, new combos etc etc. - looking forward to it tho! - win that and there will be confidence to pick up the next 3 as you say
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