NRL's kick in the guts for wooden spooners

3 years ago 269

The afloat draw for the 2022 NRL play has been released.

And arsenic fans pore implicit the 24 games their squad volition play adjacent year, arsenic ever determination volition beryllium immoderate feeling elated, and others feeling a small aggrieved.

Here's the teams that win, and those that don't, from the NRL's fixturing.

**CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL 2022 SEASON DRAW**

WINNERS

Melbourne Storm: The Victorian nine volition big 5 of its opening 7 games astatine AAMI Park successful Melbourne, arsenic reward for spending the champion portion of 2 years camped successful confederate Queensland distant from home. They play the Tigers successful Sydney and the Raiders successful Wagga, but big the Rabbitohs, Eels, Bulldogs, Sharks, and Warriors each successful the confederate superior earlier Round 8.

Warriors: They don't play a squad that finished higher than eighth successful 2021 earlier Round 6. The Warriors commencement the play by taking connected the Dragons, Titans, Tigers, Broncos, and Cowboys, earlier facing the Roosters past Storm successful consecutive weeks. Their play is divided evenly against bottom-eight and top-eight opponents, facing 12 of each crossed the draw.

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Opening round of 2022 NRL season unveiled

Gold Coast Titans: In the opening 13 rounds of the play the Titans lone play 2 games against top-four teams from 2021. They look the Sea Eagles successful Round 6 and the Panthers successful Round 8, and past their adjacent top-four hostile is the Rabbitohs successful Round 14. After Round 16 they lone play 3 games against 2021 top-eight teams, and 5 against teams that finished beneath them. All up they play lone 10 games against top-eight opponents and 14 against bottom-eight.

North Queensland Cowboys: They don't play a 2021 top-four squad until Round 11. In their opening 10 games of the play they play lone 4 against top-eight teams from past season, and nary finished higher than fifth. In full the Cowboys play lone 11 of their 24 games against 2021 finalists.

Manly Sea Eagles: They play the fewest games against top-four teams from past season. Granted, Manly was 1 of the top-four. They statesman their play against reigning premiers Penrith, but aft that they lone play South Sydney erstwhile and Melbourne twice. They besides decorativeness the play with 3 games against bottom-eight teams from 2021 - the Sharks, Raiders, and Bulldogs.

**CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL NRLW DRAW FOR SEASON 2021**

Josh Jackson of the Bulldogs. (Getty)

LOSERS

Canterbury Bulldogs: It's ever going to look similar an uphill conflict erstwhile you're the competition's reigning woody spooners. But the Bulldogs volition play each of 2021's champion 4 teams successful their opening six rounds, and the apical 5 teams successful their opening 8 rounds. They footwear disconnected the twelvemonth with the Cowboys and Broncos - 2 teams not considered premiership contenders this twelvemonth - but past spell up against Manly, Melbourne, Penrith, and South Sydney successful consecutive weeks. They get a reprieve with the Broncos again successful Round 7 but past look the Roosters successful Round 8. All up, the Bulldogs play 13 games against top-eight teams from past season.

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Eels and Roosters: They are the lone 2 teams to play each of 2021's top-four teams doubly during the 2022 season. Both these clubs volition person to instrumentality connected the Storm, Panthers, Rabbitohs, and Sea Eagles doubly earlier finals. The Roosters decorativeness their play against the Storm and Rabbitohs.

Newcastle Knights: It could beryllium a tricky State of Origin play for the Hunter club. On apical of expecting to suffer a fig of players done June and July to the interstate series, the Knights person a pugnacious tally against beardown opponents astatine the aforesaid time. Between their Round 13 bye and Round 19 they spell up against the Panthers, Rabbitohs, Sea Eagles, and Roosters. The Raiders and Titans besides autumn successful that play and whitethorn supply pugnacious absorption if they are improved connected 2021.

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