The NRL 2023 season is almost here, and NothingButLeague has highlighted the seven must-watch games (in order of appearance) for the first month.
PARRAMATTA EELS VS MELBOURNE STORM, COMMBANK STADIUM, THURSDAY MARCH 2 (ROUND 1)
A fantastic season opener, as the Storm and Eels have built up a healthy rivalry recently. The Eels beat the Storm twice in 2022: 28-24 in Round 3 and 22-14 in Round 25. This is a perfect opener for the Eels, as a tough contest will help shake off a grand final hangover. The Storm has plenty to prove: 2022 was one of their worst seasons since the salary cap scandal. With Craig Bellamy’s future undecided, the Storm will want to have a big 2023 in case it’s his last as their coach.
Embed from Getty ImagesPENRITH PANTHERS VS SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS, BLUEBET STADIUM, THURSDAY MARCH 9 (ROUND 2)
Another cracking Thursday game, with one of the biggest Sydney rivalries. Since 2020, the Panthers and Rabbits have played in two preliminary finals and a grand final, with Penrith winning all three. No doubt the Panthers faithful – celebrating consecutive premierships – will pack out Penrith Park, which will create an intimidating atmosphere for the Rabbitohs. How will Souths respond to this early blockbuster, especially with their poor record in big games?
Embed from Getty ImagesBRISBANE BRONCOS VS NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS, SUNCORP STADIUM, FRIDAY MARCH 10 (ROUND 2)
The first of Brisbane’s Queensland derbies, and it’s a ripper. The Cowboys surprised everyone in 2022, while the Broncos were in top four contention before their late fadeout. Expect a massive crowd at Lang Park for what’s usually a close contest. Assuming the Cowboys beat Canberra in Townsville, they could be 2-0 with a win here, while Brisbane – with a tough opener at Penrith – could be 0-2.
Embed from Getty ImagesSYDNEY ROOSTERS VS SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS, ALLIANZ STADIUM, FRIDAY MARCH 17 (ROUND 3)
Another epic awaits between the last two stand-alone foundation clubs. The traditional ‘Easts vs Souths’ rivalry didn’t disappoint last season, with the Rabbits winning two out of three. Most importantly, they knocked the Roosters out in the fiery elimination final, winning 30-14. There were seven sin bins, with Victor Radley and Taane Milne both binned twice. Hopefully this Friday blockbuster lives up to the hype, with another huge crowd expected at the new SFS.
Embed from Getty ImagesPARRAMATTA EELS VS PENRITH PANTHERS, COMMBANK STADIUM, THURSDAY MARCH 23 (ROUND 4)
The first grand final replay is in round four. The Panthers could have six points in the bank by then, with games against Brisbane, Souths, and a Round 3 bye. The Eels have home games against the Storm and Cronulla-Sutherland. How will the Eels respond to their grand final loss? Will they be desperate for revenge, or will they treat this as just another game in a big season?
Embed from Getty ImagesDOLPHINS VS BRISBANE BRONCOS, FRIDAY MARCH 24 (ROUND 4)
Friday March 31, 1995: the Broncos hosted the South Queensland Crushers at ANZ/QEII Stadium and won 32-0. Nearly 30 years later, the Broncos will be hoping for a similar result. By now we’ll know how the Dolphins are tracking, as they start with the Roosters (Lang Park), Canberra (Redcliffe), and Newcastle (McDonald Jones Stadium). They’ll probably be 1-2 at this point, or 0-3 at worst. Though it’s a Dolphins home game, Lang Park is an appropriate venue for such a historic game – so expect a massive crowd. While Brisbane is used to that, how will the Dolphins respond?
Embed from Getty ImagesCANBERRA RAIDERS VS PENRITH PANTHERS, FRIDAY MARCH 31 (ROUND 5)
In Round 21 last year, the Raiders hosted Penrith at Bruce Stadium, and The Milk publicly prepared an “Ambush” of a weakened Penrith side. While it backfired horribly (Penrith won 26-6), Ricky Stuart’s infamous “weak gutted dog” comments overshadowed the game. Both the “Ambush” and Ricky’s comments were widely – and rightly – mocked. But all the controversy and embarrassment spurred Canberra to a four-game winning streak and then a big elimination final win over Melbourne.
Will this return game be “Ambush 2.0”, or will the Raiders – who are traditionally slow starters – use common sense, stay quiet, and concentrate on the game? And, if Penrith win, will their fans do another Viking Clap? The only downside is this clash is buried in the awkward Friday 6pm slot, with Souths vs Melbourne the prime-time game.
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Atleast you comment of win probabilities and odds of each game per season.
And also mention about injuries.
Thank you.