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The Broncos have the hardest draw heading into the 2023 season according to numbers obtained by Fox Sports Lab after examining all 17 team’s fixtures for next season.
Meanwhile, Ricky Stuart will have to find something new to complain about after the Raiders got the easiest draw in 2023.
Fox Sports Lab have broken down just how difficult each team’s draw is using the strength of the schedule based off the Lab Predictor’s ratings for each team, which also factors in how teams have historically gone at scheduled venues.
Read on for the winners and losers from the 2023 NRL draw.
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RAIDERS (1st *easiest draw)
Games played against -
Top eight: 8
Top four: 5
Bottom eight: 14
Bottom four: 7
Who they play twice: Dolphins, Brisbane, Wests Tigers, St George Illawarra, Newcastle, Cronulla, Canterbury, Warriors
Analysis: The Raiders have a dream draw after meeting the outright most number of bottom 8 sides with 14 and the equal most number of bottom four sides with seven. They also meet the equal fewest number of top four teams with five and the outright fewest number of top eight teams with eight, three less than the next best team (11). Meanwhile, the Sharks are the only top eight side the Raiders play twice.
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COWBOYS (2nd)
Games played against -
Top eight: 10
Top four: 6
Bottom eight: 12
Bottom four: 7
Who they play twice: Gold Coast Titans, Dolphins, Brisbane, Wests Tigers, Parramatta, Penrith, Cronulla, Warriors
Analysis: The Cowboys play 10 games against top eight sides, the equal second fewest, while they face the equal second most top four teams with six. However, they play 12 games against bottom eight sides and the equal most bottom four teams with seven. Meanwhile, the Panthers, Eels and Sharks are the only top eight sides they play twice.
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Crichton relishing facing 'best mates' | 03:35
DOLPHINS (3rd)
Games played against -
Top eight: 11
Top four: 5
Bottom eight: 13
Bottom four: 7
Who they play twice: Canberra, Warriors, Newcastle, North Queensland, St George Illawarra, Sydney Roosters, Brisbane, Gold Coast Titans
Analysis: The competition’s new boys have 11 games against top eight sides, but the equal second fewest games against top four teams with five. The Dolphins have the equal second most games against bottom eight sides and the equal most games against bottom four sides. The Raiders, Cowboys and Roosters are the only top eight sides they play twice.
SHARKS (4th)
Games played against -
Top eight: 10
Top four: 4
Bottom eight: 13
Bottom four: 6
Who they play twice: South Sydney, St George Illawarra, Manly, North Queensland, Newcastle, Canberra, Warriors, Canterbury
Analysis: The Sharks play the equal second fewest matches against top eight teams with 10, while they have the outright fewest matches against top four teams with four. The Sharks play the second most matches against bottom eight teams with 13 and equal second most games against bottom four teams with six. The Rabbitohs, Cowboys and Raiders are the only top eight teams they meet twice.
Seibold's first words as Sea Eagles boss | 02:54
KNIGHTS (5th)
Games played against -
Top eight: 11
Top four: 6
Bottom eight: 11
Bottom four: 5
Who they play twice: Canberra, Warriors, Canterbury, Cronulla, Manly, Penrith, Wests Tigers, Dolphins
Analysis: The Knights have the equal third fewest number of games against top eight sides, but the equal second most games against top four sides with six. Newcastle have 11 games against bottom eight teams and the equal second fewest number of games against bottom four teams with five. However, they only play three top eight teams twice in the Raiders, Sharks and Panthers.
EELS (6th)
Games played against -
Top eight: 11
Top four: 5
Bottom eight: 12
Bottom four: 5
Who they play twice: Canterbury, Manly, North Queensland, Penrith, Sydney Roosters, Melbourne, Brisbane, Gold Coast Titans
Analysis: Last year’s grand finalists have 11 games against top eight teams and 12 games against bottom eight teams in an even spread. The Eels also play five games against top four teams, the equal second fewest and five games against bottom four teams. They play four top eight teams twice in the Cowboys, Panthers, Roosters and Storm.
DRAGONS (7th)
Games played against -
Top eight: 12
Top four: 5
Bottom eight: 10
Bottom four: 7
Who they play twice: Dolphins, Gold Coast Titans, South Sydney, Sydney Roosters, Wests Tigers, Cronulla, Canberra, Warriors
Analysis: The Dragons finished 10th last season and play 12 games against top eight teams and 10 games against bottom eight teams in 2023. They play the equal second fewest games against top four teams with five and the equal most games against bottom four teams with seven. The Dragons play four top eight teams twice in the Rabbitohs, Roosters, Sharks and Raiders.
Hunt eyes a starting spot in semi final | 00:55
ROOSTERS (8th)
Games played against -
Top eight: 11
Top four: 6
Bottom eight: 11
Bottom four: 5
Who they play twice: Warriors, Manly, Parramatta, Penrith, St George Illawarra, Melbourne, South Sydney, Dolphins
Analysis: The Roosters play an even share of 11 games each against top eight and bottom eight sides. They play six matches against top four teams, but the equal second fewest matches against bottom four teams with five. The Tri-colours play four top eight teams twice in the Eels, Panthers, Storm and Rabbitohs.
STORM (9th)
Games played against -
Top eight: 11
Top four: 6
Bottom eight: 12
Bottom four: 6
Who they play twice: South Sydney, Gold Coast Titans, Brisbane, Wests Tigers, Sydney Roosters, Parramatta, Penrith, Manly
Analysis: The Storm have their games spread evenly with 11 against top eight teams and 12 against bottom eight teams. However, they have the equal second most games against top four teams, while they have six matches against bottom four teams, the equal second most. The Storm play four top eight teams twice in the Rabbitohs, Roosters, Eels and Panthers.
RABBITOHS (10th)
Games played against -
Top eight: 11
Top four: 6
Bottom eight: 12
Bottom four: 5
Who they play twice: Cronulla, Canterbury, Penrith, Sydney Roosters, St George Illawarra, Wests Tigers, Brisbane, Melbourne
Analysis: The Rabbitohs have an even share of 11 games against top eight sides and 12 against bottom eight sides. They have the equal second most games against top four sides and the equal second fewest games against bottom four sides. Souths play four top eight teams twice in the Sharks, Panthers, Roosters and Storm.
Seibold confirmed as Manly coach | 01:06
WARRIORS (11th)
Games played against -
Top eight: 12
Top four: 6
Bottom eight: 10
Bottom four: 4
Who they play twice: Dolphins, St George Illawarra, Sydney Roosters, North Queensland, Cronulla, Newcastle, Canberra, Canterbury
Analysis: The Warriors play 12 games against top eight sides and 10 against bottom eight teams. They play the equal second most games against top four sides and the equal lowest number of matches against bottom four sides with four. The Warriors play four top eight teams twice in the Roosters, Cowboys, Sharks and Raiders.
BULLDOGS (12th)
Games played against -
Top eight: 12
Top four: 6
Bottom eight: 11
Bottom four: 7
Who they play twice: Warriors, Canberra, Cronulla, Newcastle, Manly, Parramatta, South Sydney, Gold Coast Titans
Analysis: The Bulldogs have an even share of games with 12 against top eight teams and 11 against bottom eight teams. They have the equal second most matches against top four sides with six, but they have the equal most games against bottom four teams (7). The Bulldogs play four top eight teams twice in the Raiders, Sharks, Eels and Rabbitohs.
PANTHERS (13th)
Games played against -
Top eight: 12
Top four: 5
Bottom eight: 11
Bottom four: 5
Who they play twice: South Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney Roosters, Parramatta, North Queensland, Manly, Newcastle
Analysis: The defending premiers have an even spread of 12 games against top eight sides and 11 against bottom eight teams. The Panthers have the equal second fewest amount of matches against top four sides and the equal second fewest amount of games against bottom four teams. However, the Rabbitohs, Storm, Roosters, Eels and Cowboys are the five top eight teams the Panthers have to play twice.
Breakaway league threat is 'rubbish' | 02:32
TIGERS (14th)
Games played against -
Top eight: 12
Top four: 5
Bottom eight: 11
Bottom four: 5
Who they play twice: Canberra, Newcastle, Manly, North Queensland, St George Illawarra, Melbourne, South Sydney, Gold Coast Titans
Analysis: The Tigers have an even share of games with 12 against top eight sides and 11 against bottom eight teams. However, they have the equal second fewest games against top four teams with five and the equal second fewest matches against bottom four sides (5). The Tigers play four top eight teams twice in the Raiders, Cowboys, Storm and Rabbitohs.
SEA EAGLES (15th)
Games played against -
Top eight: 13
Top four: 7
Bottom eight: 10
Bottom four: 6
Who they play twice: Canterbury, Cronulla, Newcastle, Penrith, Parramatta, Sydney Roosters, Wests Tigers, Melbourne
Analysis: The Sea Eagles have a tough road under new coach Anthony Seibold with the outright second most number of games against top eight sides with 13, while they play the equal second fewest of matches against bottom eight sides (10). Manly also play five top eight teams twice in the Sharks, Panthers, Eels, Roosters and Storm.
TITANS (16th)
Games played against -
Top eight: 11
Top four: 6
Bottom eight: 11
Bottom four: 4
Who they play twice: Dolphins, Melbourne, Brisbane, Wests Tigers, St George Illawarra, Parramatta, North Queensland, Canterbury
Analysis: The Titans have an even spread of games with 11 each against top eight and bottom eight sides. However, they have the equal second most number of games against top four sides with six and the equal least number of games against bottom four sides (4). The Titans only play three teams in the top eight twice in the Storm, Eels and Cowboys.
BRONCOS (17th *hardest draw)
Games played against -
Top eight: 14
Top four: 7
Bottom eight: 8
Bottom four: 5
Who they play twice: Canberra, North Queensland, Parramatta, Penrith, Melbourne, South Sydney, Gold Coast Titans, Dolphins
Analysis: The Broncos have the outright most games against top eight sides with 14 and the equal most games against top four sides with seven in a horror draw. The Broncos have the outright least amount of games against bottom eight teams with eight and the equal fewest games against bottom four teams with five. They also play top eight heavyweights the Panthers, Storm, Eels and Cowboys twice. If the Broncos are going to return to the finals they are going to have to do it the hard way.