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Sam Burgess will return for Souths against the Sydney Roosters in Round 1, 2016.

A comprehensive breakdown of how the 2016 NRL draw affects each of the 16 teams and the make-or-break moments to look forward to next year.

Broncos | Raiders | Bulldogs | Sharks | Titans | Sea Eagles | Storm | Knights | Cowboys | Eels | Panthers | Dragons | Rabbitohs | Roosters | Warriors | Wests Tigers

Brisbane Broncos

Who they play twice: Eels, Warriors, Panthers, Cowboys, Dragons, Rabbitohs, Bulldogs, Storm, Roosters.
Who they play once: Titans, Knights, Sharks, Sea Eagles, Wests Tigers, Raiders.

Starting point: Including a Round 1 assignment at Parramatta, last year's runners-up begin their campaign against three teams who failed to make the finals last season in the Eels, Warriors (home) and Panthers (away). The Broncos then have the honour of hosting the grand final rematch against the Cowboys on a blockbuster Good Friday clash at Suncorp Stadium. Brisbane play just two semi-finalists from 2015 in the first seven weeks, giving them a chance to build a great platform for the remainder of the season.

Tough run: Coach Wayne Bennett will call it an ideal preparation for a finals series but the Broncos are in for a bumper back-end to the season. In their last 10 games of the regular season Brisbane play the Bulldogs, Storm and Roosters twice each, including the last three games of the season in that order. Hosting the Roosters in Round 26 should ensure the phrase "Finals have come a week early" gets a good run.

Show-stoppers: When you average more than 30,000 fans at home every clash is an event but there are some absolute belters ready to rock Suncorp in 2016. All games at home through the first 20 rounds are night fixtures and none will be bigger than the Good Friday grudge match with the Cowboys. A Saturday night double-header that will see the Storm play the Cowboys and Manly 'hosting' the Broncos at Suncorp in Round 10 will also fill the stadium to capacity. And if things have gone well, closing out the regular season against the Roosters will raise the roof.

Origin impact: (Byes: Rd 15, Rd 18.) It's a long wait before the Broncos get their first designated bye but the trade-off is a lone game at home against the Wests Tigers in Round 12 with their large Origin contingent absent. Coming out of Origin matches the Broncos meet the Warriors, Bulldogs and Rabbitohs, all away from home, which could lead Bennett to rest some of his biggest stars.

 

Canberra Raiders

Play twice: Panthers, Knights, Titans, Bulldogs, Eels, Sharks, Wests Tigers, Sea Eagles, Warriors.
Play once: Broncos, Cowboys, Dragons, Rabbitohs, Roosters, Storm.

Starting point: The Raiders have been handed a favourable opening to the season, with three of their first four fixtures at GIO Stadium. They host the Panthers to start the year, before the Roosters head to the nation's capital in Round 2. Canberra will then travel to Newcastle in Round 3, before returning home to tackle the Titans.

Tough run: They'll have a bye after facing the Cowboys in Round 18, but the Raiders then face the Warriors (home), Rabbitohs (away), Sharks (away) and Storm (home) in a tough run towards the end of the season.

Show-stoppers: Aidan Sezer will face his former club the Titans for the first time in Round 3 in what should be an entertaining match between two young sides with plenty of attacking flair. Despite the loss, last year's 75-point thriller against the Bulldogs was highly entertaining, and they will again meet at GIO Stadium in Round 12. Canberra will also feature in some of the more unique fixtures of the season, with trips to Bathurst (v Panthers, Round 9) and New Plymouth (v Warriors, Round 11) sure to bring out a healthy crowd in those regional centres.

Origin impact: (Byes: Rd 15, Rd 19.) The Raiders will have to wait until Round 15 for their first week off, with their second bye in Round 19 after the third Origin match. Josh Papalii will be in the mix for the Queensland side, while a number of players are on the fringes of NSW selection. Would miss any players selected for Origin in Round 12 and 18.

 

Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs

Play Twice: Broncos, Cowboys, Dragons, Eels, Rabbitohs, Raiders, Roosters, Sea Eagles, Wests Tigers
Play Once: Knights, Panthers, Sharks, Storm, Titans, Warriors

Starting point: The Bulldogs will kick off the year at Brookvale against the Sea Eagles, before heading west to play Penrith. Their first home game of the year will come in Round 3 against the Eels before their highly-anticipated Good Friday rematch against the Rabbitohs in Round 4. 

Tough run: There will be no love lost for the Bulldogs in the final month of the regular season. While three games will be played at home, wins won't come easy. The Sea Eagles, Broncos, Cowboys and Rabbitohs round out the Dogs' end of the draw, which could have them flying or faltering before the finals.

Show-stoppers: It's hard to go past their Round 4 Good Friday rematch against the Rabbitohs. Other than that, they'll have to back it up 10 days later against the Raiders at their traditional home Belmore Sportsground. The Bulldogs will be back at Belmore to host the reigning premiers North Queensland in Round 25.

Origin impact: (Byes: Rd 15, Rd 19.) The Bulldogs have the stiff end of the draw come Origin. Only getting a bye before Origin II, their other weekend off comes after Game Three. It means they will face a largely unaffected Raiders make-up before the first Origin and the Wests Tigers before Origin III. In those games they are likely to be without the Morris twins, David Klemmer and Josh Jackson at the very least. They'll have to make the most of their first bye of the season too with consecutive games against the Roosters and Broncos to follow within the space of five days.

 

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

Play Twice: Cowboys, Dragons, Knights, Panthers, Raiders, Roosters, Sea Eagles, Storm, Titans
Play Once: Broncos, Bulldogs, Eels, Rabbitohs, Wests Tigers, Warriors

Starting point: The Sharks have a tough start to the season, as the first cab off the rank to visit the reigning premiers in Townsville in Round 1. A local derby against the Dragons follows, before a Brookvale visit against bogey team Manly and a clash with the Storm at Shark Park. 

Tough run: Their run home to a potential finals finish isn't for the faint hearted with Cronulla having to play the Rabbitohs, Roosters and Storm to end the regular season. Not helping their cause is fact they will have both of their byes completed by Round 15, meaning they have 11 straight games to play before the finals. 

Show-stoppers: It doesn't get much bigger than playing the premiers at 1300 Smiles Stadium to kick off their season. Two local derbies against the Dragons (Round 2 at Shark Park and Round 23 at Jubilee Oval) will please the fans. Their final home game against the Roosters in Round 25 should draw the masses as well.  

Origin impact: (Byes: Rd 12, Rd 15.) Their early byes mean they avoid playing before Origin I and II, while they will have to face an unaffected Panthers outfit before Game Three. While Paul Gallen is the only Origin certainty for the Sharks, half of their forward pack and James Maloney still remain a chance to miss their Round 18 clash at Pepper Stadium. They'll also be taking on fatigued Origin representatives from the Bulldogs (Round 13) and Roosters (Round 19) after Games One and Three respectively. 

 

Gold Coast Titans

Play twice: Knights, Storm, Wests Tigers, Raiders, Sharks, Dragons, Panthers, Eels, Warriors.
Play once: Broncos, Cowboys, Bulldogs, Roosters, Rabbitohs, Sea Eagles.

Starting point: The Storm are the only top four team from last season that the Titans play twice in 2016 so it is imperative they start well and build confidence early. Round 1 will see Tyrone Roberts face his former Newcastle teammates at Cbus Super Stadium before games against the Storm (A), Wests Tigers (home) and Raiders (away). Win a couple of those and Friday night at home against the Broncos in Round 5 should be a beauty.

Tough run: The frequent flyer miles get a significant boost in the middle of the season with games in Sydney (Round 11 v Panthers), Perth (Round 13 v Rabbitohs) and Darwin (Round 14 v Eels). Prior to that stretch the Titans face the Bulldogs, Storm and Roosters in consecutive weeks so the middle of the season will be crunch time for the Gold Coasters. 

Show-stoppers: Although they miss out on hosting South Sydney in 2016, other big drawcards on the Coast in the Broncos, Dragons and Warriors should ensure strong crowds at Cbus Super Stadium. The 3pm Saturday kick-off for the Round 7 clash with the Dragons should appeal to families as will the 5.30pm Saturday game against the Eels in Round 20. Facing a Manly team with former skipper Nate Myles and back-flipper Daly Cherry-Evans in Round 15 could prove to be something of a grudge match but both are likely to be down the road at Sanctuary Cove in camp with the Maroons.

Origin impact: (Byes: Rd 12, Rd 18.) Ryan James and James Roberts could push to join Greg Bird in camp with the Blues and if they do will only miss the Monday night game against Manly in Round 15. In the days after Origin I the Titans play the Rabbitohs in Perth, which is perhaps not an ideal way to recover.

 

Manly Warringah Sea Eagles

Play twice: Bulldogs, Sharks, Rabbitohs, Warriors, Eels, Knights, Cowboys, Raiders, Panthers. 
Play once: Wests Tigers, Roosters, Broncos, Titans, Dragons, Storm.

Starting point: Manly begin their season under new coach Trent Barrett at home against the Bulldogs in a blockbuster Friday night clash at Brookvale Oval. They have a 10-day turnaround for a meeting with the Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval, before a tricky string of matches against the Roosters (away), Rabbitohs (home) and Warriors (away).

Tough run: Between Rounds 9-11, Manly take on the reigning premiers North Queensland, travel to Suncorp Stadium for a clash with 2015 grand finalists Brisbane, before taking on the Sharks at Shark Park. It is a three-game streak that could prove critical for the Northern Beaches club at the backend of the year. The Sea Eagles are also slated for seven Monday night games in the opening 20 rounds.

Show-stoppers: There is plenty of intrigue in the opening round Friday night blockbuster against the Bulldogs with a new-look Manly outfit hosting former coach Des Hasler at Brookvale. There will also be plenty of spice in the Round 7 clash with the Eels with plenty of player movements in the offseason. Kieran Foran is the high profile mover, but there is also Darcy Lussick, Clint Gutherson and James Hasson coming up against their former club.

Origin impact: (Byes: Rd 12, Rd 18.) Manly have a pretty decent bye schedule, the only game they play during the Origin period is in Round 15 against the Titans, meaning Nate Myles is likely to miss a match against his former club, while Daly Cherry-Evans may be spared from travelling to the club he famously back-flipped on.

 

Melbourne Storm

Play twice: Broncos, Cowboys, Dragons, Knights, Roosters, Sharks, Tigers, Titans, Warriors.
Play once: Bulldogs, Eels, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Raiders, Sea Eagles.

Starting point: Melbourne start the season with two home games against the Dragons and Titans, before tricky away fixtures against the Warriors and Sharks.

Tough run: The Storm have a really tough run towards the finals from Round 20. They take on the Roosters, Cowboys, Rabbitohs, Raiders, Sea Eagles, Broncos and Sharks in their final seven matches. It is a series of games that will either get Melbourne battle-hardened for finals footy, or crush their premiership hopes. They'll need to have a good start to the season in preparation for this intense seven-match run. 

Show-stoppers: The Anzac Day game against the Warriors in Round 8 has grown into one of the game's great traditions and returns in 2016. They also have a preliminary final rematch with the Cowboys in Round 10 in a Suncorp Stadium double header, which will also see the Broncos take on the Sea Eagles in a rugby league bonanza. 

Origin impact: (Byes: Rd 12, Rd 18.) Melbourne have two byes during the Origin period, meaning they'll only be without their stars during the Round 15 clash with the Dragons.

 

Newcastle Knights

Play Twice: Dragons, Rabbitohs, Raiders, Sea Eagles, Sharks, Storm, Wests Tigers, Titans, Warriors
Play Once: Broncos, Bulldogs, Cowboys, Eels, Panthers, Roosters

Starting point: It doesn't get much tougher than the Knights' start to 2016, with a big stretch away from home. Kicking off their season up on the Gold Coast, Newcastle will head back down to Sydney to take on the Rabbitohs in Round 2. The Knights then earn a reprieve with a home game against Canberra, but head across the ditch for an Easter Monday clash with the Warriors before backing that up against the Storm in Melbourne in Round 5.

Tough run: The stretch of fixtures between Rounds 7 and 10 will prove make or break for Newcastle, when they come up against last year's runners-up Brisbane, a rejuvenated Sea Eagles outfit, the Roosters and Sharks in consecutive weeks. With eight of their first 13 games away from Hunter Stadium, the Knights will be thankful they spend all of August in Newcastle but it won't be easy before then.

Show-stoppers: Their Round 2 clash with the Rabbitohs will prove an early litmus test. Their Round 8 showdown with the Sea Eagles in Newcastle will kick off Anzac Day proceedings, while a Central Coast showdown against the Roosters in Round 9 and a Round 26 clash against the Dragons in Kogarah will be favoured by fans. 

Origin impact: (Byes: Rd 15, Rd 18.) The Knights' Origin schedule is favourable with byes before the final two Origin matchess. With only Trent Hodkinson and Dane Gagai realistic chances of playing Origin at this stage Newcastle's Round 12 clash with a largely unaffected Eels team will be one to watch before Origin I. Importantly, Newcastle will play the Cowboys after Game One, the Dragons after Game Two and the Storm after Game Three – three sides with a number of Origin representatives.

 

North Queensland Cowboys

Play twice: Sharks, Eels, Roosters, Broncos, Dragons, Rabbitohs, Sea Eagles, Storm, Bulldogs.
Play once: Panthers, Knights, Raiders, Wests Tigers, Warriors, Titans.

Starting point: The premiership coronation takes place at home in Round 1 against the Sharks whom the Cowboys dispatched 39-0 in the semi-finals last season. Following that is a trip to Parramatta before hosting the Roosters in Round 3, a nice test ahead of the grand final rematch against the Broncos in Brisbane a week later.

Tough run: The Cowboys are only on the road two weeks in succession three times through 26 rounds with three of their last five games in Sydney against the Wests Tigers, Roosters and Bulldogs. It's capable of being a tricky run into the finals series with games against the Storm, Roosters, Warriors and Bulldogs in the last six weeks. The Storm and Rabbitohs both bringing home games to Brisbane and Cairns respectively also lightens the travel load significantly.

Show-stoppers: Cowboys fans will be keen to make the trek to Brisbane on Good Friday to prove their team's grand final heroics were no fluke and will no doubt have a special welcome in mind when the Broncos travel to Townsville in Round 11. Home games against the Roosters, Dragons and Rabbitohs in the first seven weeks should also draw bumper crowds still basking in the premiership glow.

Origin impact: (Byes: Rd 15, Rd 19.) The Cowboys' star players will be missing twice through the Origin period with tricky assignments against the Dragons in Wollongong (Round 12) and the Raiders in Canberra (Round 18) on a Monday night. North Queensland did knock over the Dragons in Wollongong without their Origin reps in Round 17 last season but it took a field goal from 'JT' to get the better of Canberra. The Cowboys play the Knights and Sea Eagles coming out of the first two Origin games and have their second bye in Round 19.

 

Parramatta Eels

Play twice: Broncos, Cowboys, Bulldogs, Wests Tigers, Panthers, Raiders, Sea Eagles, Rabbitohs, Titans.
Play once: Storm, Knights, Sharks, Roosters, Dragons, Warriors.

Starting point: Kicking off the season with a Thursday night blockbuster at home against the Broncos, the Eels then host the other grand final side North Queensland, also at Pirtek Stadium. After a tough first two weeks to start the season the blue and golds then face bogey side Canterbury at ANZ leading into their traditional Easter Monday clash against Wests Tigers. That looks a winnable game but Brad Arthur will be hoping his side aren't heading in at 0-3.

Tough run: There's a really tricky stretch for the Eels heading into the start of the Origin period as they face Manly (at Brookvale), North Queensland (in Townsville), Canterbury (at ANZ), then Souths and Melbourne both at Pirtek from Rounds 7 to 11. It will be vital they pick up a few wins over this stretch ahead of a comparatively more gentle run coming out of the rep period if they want to make a charge for the finals.

Show-stoppers: Parramatta's Round 1 season-opening blockbuster at Suncorp Stadium against the Broncos, a massive Easter Monday clash against Wests Tigers in Round 4 and Kieran Foran's return to Brookvale in Round 7 will all be must-see games.

Origin impact: (Byes: Rd 13, Rd 16.) Beyond new recruit Beau Scott it's hard to see too many Eels being in the Origin frame in 2016 - great news given they play all three Origin-affected rounds. Their first comes at Newcastle where only centre Dane Gagai seems certain to be missing though Trent Hodkinson could also be out. The second sees them play a Rabbitohs side set to be missing a few players, while their only game of the year against the Roosters sees them face the Tricolours minus at least two or three, if not seven or eight players to Origin.

 

Penrith Panthers

Play twice: Broncos, Eels, Rabbitohs, Raiders, Sea Eagles, Sharks, Wests Tigers, Titans, Warriors.
Play once: Bulldogs, Cowboys, Dragons, Knights, Roosters, Storm.

Starting point: Canberra away, Bulldogs at home, Broncos at home then Dragons at Wollongong is neither a disaster nor a free ride, but Panthers fans will be disappointed not to claim two or three wins in that period.

Tough run: With four of the toughest side in the competition only scheduled to play one game against the Panthers, this draw doesn't have any nightmare stretches. With just one Monday, one Thursday and two Friday games in the opening 20 rounds, short turnarounds aren't a massive factor either. They do have a tough month of footy from Round 20 where they travel to Brisbane, Auckland and Newcastle with a home game against the Roosters in the middle.

Show-stoppers: The Panthers are visited by premiers North Queensland on Saturday night in Round 6, and by local rivals Parramatta in Rd 19 on a Sunday afternoon, with both likely to attract big crowds. Former assistant coach and now manly head coach Trent Barrett has to wait until Round 26 to bring ex-Panthers Lewis Brown and Api Koroisau to Pepper Stadium but expect plenty of interest in that one with the added carrot of potential finals positions on the line for both sides.

Origin impact: (Byes: Rd 12, Rd 15.) Both of Penrith's byes fall in pre-Origin weeks; their only game with Origin players unavailable is a home game against Cronulla in Round 18 in which Cronulla at this early stage seem likely to be more affected, though Penrith have plenty of players on the fringes of Origin.

 

St George Illawarra Dragons

Play twice: Storm, Sharks, Roosters, Broncos, Knights, Titans, Rabbitohs, Cowboys, Bulldogs.
Play once: Panthers, Warriors, Raiders, Sea Eagles, Tigers, Eels.

Starting point: The Dragons kick off the season with back-to-back away games, first in Melbourne against the Storm on Monday night to round out the opening week of footy and then against rivals Cronulla at Shark Park the following Sunday. A blockbuster against the Rabbitohs at the SCG will take place in Round 3, before Trent Merrin and the Panthers visit for the Red V's first game at WIN Stadium in Round 4.

Tough run: The Red V have arguably the toughest draw in the NRL in 2016, with home and away games against seven of last year's top eight teams. At the start of April they have back-to-back games in Queensland against last year's grand finalists North Queensland and Brisbane, then face reigning minor premiers the Roosters a fortnight later.

Show-stoppers: The local derby with the Cronulla Sharks will resume in Round 2 at Shark Park, with the second clash between the sides taking place in the run home to the finals in Round 23 at Jubilee Oval. There's no shortage of big games otherwise, with the clash with Souths at the SCG on March 20 sure to be a highlight. A run of three home games from Round 12 to 15 against the Cowboys, Bulldogs and Storm – two at WIN Stadium and one at ANZ – should keep the crowds turning up during the Origin period. 

Origin impact: (Byes: Rd 13, Rd 18.) The Origin period will be kind to St George Illawarra, with a couple of big scalps up for the taking. The Dragons will avoid Johnathan Thurston when they face the Cowboys in Round 12 ahead of State of Origin I, and then will get to play a Melbourne Storm side minus Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith in Round 15. The Dragons' byes coming in Round 13 and 18.

 

South Sydney Rabbitohs

Play twice: Roosters, Knights, Dragons, Bulldogs, Sea Eagles, Cowboys, Broncos, Wests Tigers, Eels.
Play once: Titans, Panthers, Raiders, Storm, Warriors, Sharks.

Starting point: The Rabbitohs begin season 2015 with a Sunday afternoon clash against arch rivals the Roosters at Allianz Stadium, before hosting the Knights at ANZ Stadium in their first home game of the season in Round 2. South Sydney will be back at the Moore Park precinct in Round 3 when they face the Dragons at the SCG, before a Good Friday showdown with the Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium in Round 4.

Tough run: Souths will face a decent challenge for a five-week stretch starting on Good Friday. After taking on the Bulldogs they head across town to take on the Sea Eagles, before hosting the Roosters, heading north to face the premiers in Townsville and then the beaten grand finalists the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium the week after.

Show-stoppers: You don't have to look much further than the Round 1 meeting with the Roosters in Sam Burgess's first game back in cardinal and myrtle. The Rabbitohs' Good Friday clash with the Bulldogs should again deliver another epic encounter, as will the reverse fixture at the same venue in Round 26. Suncorp Stadium should also be pumping when Souths roll into Brisbane in Round 8.

Origin impact: (Byes: Rd 12, Rd 18.) South Sydney's byes are reasonably spread out, with trips to Perth (v Titans, Round 13) and Cairns (v Cowboys, Round 17) in between. Are likely to only miss Greg Inglis due to Origin selection in Round 15.

 

Sydney Roosters

Play twice: Broncos, Bulldogs, Cowboys, Dragons, Rabbitohs, Panthers, Sharks, Storm, Warriors.
Play once: Eels, Knights, Sea Eagles, Raiders, Titans, Wests Tigers.

Starting point: Following a traditional Round 1 clash against old rivals South Sydney, the Roosters travel to Canberra then Townsville before returning home to host a new-look Manly. It's a tough enough start and Trent Robinson's men will need to hit the ground running.

Tough run: If the Roosters are to make a dent in the 2016 season they'll need to do it the hard way: all six teams they play once missed the finals last year, while they will have to face all seven other teams that made the 2015 finals twice each. Having said that they never have more than two away games in a row; their toughest stretch looks to be a five week run coming out of the Origin period when they face the Bulldogs at home, Eels away minus their Origin stars, bogey team Cronulla at home, Storm in Melbourne then Broncos at Suncorp from Round 17 to 21.

Show-stoppers: There's a huge Sunday afternoon against Souths in Round 1 to kick things off, a traditional Anzac Day clash against the Dragons in Round 7 and a huge finish to the regular season with a trip to Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium to face the side that tipped them out of the 2015 finals race.

Origin impact: (Byes: Rd 12, Rd 16.) One of the club's two byes comes in a non-Origin week meaning two tough games minus a huge contingent of their side – one a trip over to face a Warriors side in Round 15, and the Eels at Pirtek in Round 18. Both of those teams will face minimal disruption with just one incumbent Origin player apiece and few others on the radar while the Tricolours will have their depth sorely tested in those games.

 

Warriors

Play twice: Broncos, Knights, Panthers, Raiders, Roosters, Sea Eagles, Storm, Tigers, Titans.
Play once: Bulldogs, Cowboys, Dragons, Eels, Rabbitohs, Sharks.

Starting point: The Warriors start their season with consecutive away games against the Wests Tigers and 2015 grand finalists the Broncos, before hosting the Storm and the Knights. There will be a lot of pressure on the New Zealand outfit to start the season well after a disappointing 2015.

Tough run: A stretch of four games between Round 5-8 against fancied opponents the Roosters (away), Sea Eagles (home), Bulldogs and Storm (away) could be a great litmus test for the new-look Warriors side. If they can get through it relatively unscathed, they'll be well set to make a charge in the middle part of the season.

Show-stoppers: Round 5 v Roosters - Roger Tuivasa-Sheck returns to take on his former club in what is sure to be an entertaining encounter. The traditional Anzac Day clash against the Storm returns for 2016 in Round 8 and is also one not to be missed, one of the highlights of the NRL calendar. 

Origin impact: (Byes: Rd 12, Rd 18.) The Warriors are not usually too affected by the Origin period and this year they have one game during the annual interstate series. They'll take on the Roosters in Round 15 minus State of Origin players, giving them a great chance to get an important win against a weakened opposition.

 

Wests Tigers

Play twice: Warriors, Titans, Eels, Knights, Storm, Raiders, Rabbitohs, Bulldogs, Panthers. 
Play once: Sea Eagles, Sharks, Broncos, Roosters, Dragons, Cowboys.

Starting point: The Wests Tigers get first crack at the new-look Warriors at Campbelltown Stadium in the opening round of the season, and move to Leichhardt in Round 2 for a big clash against Manly. They'll be chasing wins in their next couple of matches against the Titans on the Gold Coast in Round 3 and against Parramatta at ANZ Stadium in Round 4.

Tough run: Wests have a tricky period in the middle of the season with a run of games against competition heavyweights the Broncos, Roosters, Rabbitohs and Storm starting in Round 12, with three of those being away games. Their next three – against the Panthers, Bulldogs and Dragons – won't be a walk in the park either.

Show-stoppers: The Tigers will go up against their former star Martin Taupau and the Manly Sea Eagles at Leichhardt Oval in Round 2, with Matt Ballin also coming up against his former club. Leichhardt will also host bumper games against the Storm in Round 7 and the Cowboys in Round 22, while Campbelltown Stadium will host the season opener against the Warriors and a grudge match against the Sharks in Round 5.

Origin impact: (Byes: Rd 15, Rd 19.) The Tigers have a huge chance of claiming a prized win at Suncorp Stadium when they face a Broncos side missing their Origins stars in Round 12, and they will take on a Bulldogs outfit that could also lose a few players to Origin in Round 18. Wests will get their first bye ahead of State of Origin II in Round 15 and their second after Origin III and Round 19.

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