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The Sydney Roosters' bid for a three-peat has been dealt a huge blow with the reigning champions handed the most difficult draw in the competition, compounding their winless start to the season.
It comes as one of their biggest threats to the title, the undefeated Parramatta, have been allocated one of the easiest draws and will avoid playing last year's grand finalists (Roosters and Raiders) or minor premiers (Melbourne) twice this year
The NRL will officially announce the 2020 season draw on Thursday after weeks of tense broadcast negotiations, but the Herald has obtained a copy of the schedule to determine which teams will have to square off twice in a shortened campaign.
BetEasy has ranked, in order, the Storm, Raiders, Roosters, Eels, Rabbitohs, Broncos and Sea Eagles as the favourites for the 2020 premiership
Each team has five return legs as part of a 20-round season, with the Roosters – who lost their opening two games of the season – handed the arduous task of squaring off against the two favourites, as well as the Rabbitohs and Broncos, twice.
The only team that doesn't have to play any of the top seven premiership favourites twice is Cronulla, who have drawn repeat rounds against five teams that all missed the finals last year – including a rendezvous with former fullback Valentine Holmes and his new club the North Queensland Cowboys
Other teams that will be delighted with the schedule, only drawn against one top-seven team twice, include the Cowboys and Panthers.
The Eels don't have to play twice against any of the top three-ranked teams, with the Brisbane Broncos and Manly Sea Eagles the only sides that they play twice that featured in last year's finals series. They have also been allocated a return leg against western Sydney rivals the Wests Tigers, Bulldogs and Panthers.
Last year's minor premiers, Melbourne, have an equally difficult draw as the Roosters. Craig Bellamy's men have been assigned last year's grand finalists twice, as well as South Sydney and arch rivals Manly. The Rabbitohs and the Brisbane Broncos have the next most difficult draw with three top seven sides
The regular season closes out with three mouth-watering showdowns ahead of the finals, with the Broncos to take on Queensland nemesis North Queensland, traditional rivals South Sydney and the Roosters to lock horns and western Sydney rivals the Eels and Tigers squaring off.
The NRL has only allocated venues for the first nine rounds of the season and will wait on government restrictions before announcing the remaining slots.
The NRL is still holding out hope of crowds being able to attend the finals series leading up to the October 25 grand final, with the State of Origin series to follow on three consecutive Wednesdays from November 4.
It comes as one of their biggest threats to the title, the undefeated Parramatta, have been allocated one of the easiest draws and will avoid playing last year's grand finalists (Roosters and Raiders) or minor premiers (Melbourne) twice this year
The NRL will officially announce the 2020 season draw on Thursday after weeks of tense broadcast negotiations, but the Herald has obtained a copy of the schedule to determine which teams will have to square off twice in a shortened campaign.
BetEasy has ranked, in order, the Storm, Raiders, Roosters, Eels, Rabbitohs, Broncos and Sea Eagles as the favourites for the 2020 premiership
Each team has five return legs as part of a 20-round season, with the Roosters – who lost their opening two games of the season – handed the arduous task of squaring off against the two favourites, as well as the Rabbitohs and Broncos, twice.
The only team that doesn't have to play any of the top seven premiership favourites twice is Cronulla, who have drawn repeat rounds against five teams that all missed the finals last year – including a rendezvous with former fullback Valentine Holmes and his new club the North Queensland Cowboys
Other teams that will be delighted with the schedule, only drawn against one top-seven team twice, include the Cowboys and Panthers.
The Eels don't have to play twice against any of the top three-ranked teams, with the Brisbane Broncos and Manly Sea Eagles the only sides that they play twice that featured in last year's finals series. They have also been allocated a return leg against western Sydney rivals the Wests Tigers, Bulldogs and Panthers.
Last year's minor premiers, Melbourne, have an equally difficult draw as the Roosters. Craig Bellamy's men have been assigned last year's grand finalists twice, as well as South Sydney and arch rivals Manly. The Rabbitohs and the Brisbane Broncos have the next most difficult draw with three top seven sides
The regular season closes out with three mouth-watering showdowns ahead of the finals, with the Broncos to take on Queensland nemesis North Queensland, traditional rivals South Sydney and the Roosters to lock horns and western Sydney rivals the Eels and Tigers squaring off.
The NRL has only allocated venues for the first nine rounds of the season and will wait on government restrictions before announcing the remaining slots.
The NRL is still holding out hope of crowds being able to attend the finals series leading up to the October 25 grand final, with the State of Origin series to follow on three consecutive Wednesdays from November 4.
