NRL 2024 Draw: Biggest winners & losers for next season

The draw for the 2024 NRL season has been released, with several major winners and losers across the competition. Many clubs will play more games away from home than at their home ground, and if the finishing positions from 2023 are any guide, many will have major advantages in the teams they will play next year. Let’s look each club’s draw for the upcoming NRL season and how that effects their value in the premiership betting markets.

Brisbane Broncos NRL 2024 draw

Verdict: Winner

No team will play more games at home in 2024 than the Brisbane Broncos, who hold the second line of NRL premiership betting at +325. On the flipside, the 2023 grand finalists will play four of their nine away games against the top six sides from the 2023 season.

The Broncos also have an even spread of matches against the top six and bottom six sides from last term. Their start to the season will be difficult, with away matches against the Panthers and Storm following their season-opener in Las Vegas against the Roosters — where the Kevin Walters-coached side is a -166.67 to kick off the campaign with a win.

Canterbury Bulldogs NRL 2024 draw

Verdict: Winner

The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs will play more games at home (12) than away in the 2024 season. Throughout the season the Bulldogs will also play more games against the top six sides from the 2023 season (9) than most of the competition, which holds them at long odds of +4000 to win the 2024 NRL Premiership.

The Cameron Ciraldo-coached side will have a more difficult start to the season than most teams, with matches against the Sharks, Rabbitohs, Roosters, Storm, Knights and Panthers all before Magic Round. However, the struggling club will have a chance to finish the season strong, with three of its last five matches against the bottom six sides from the 2023 season — two of those being played on home turf.

Canberra Raiders NRL 2024 draw

Verdict: Winner

The Canberra Raiders have the fairest draw of the 2024 NRL season, with 11 matches to be played at home and the same number away. Similarly, the Green Machine will play the top and bottom six sides of the 2023 season nine times each.

The Raiders’ start to the season will be tough, with matches on the road against the Knights, Warriors and Sharks in the first five weeks of the competition. Their end to the regular season is expected to be much easier, however, with games against the Bulldogs, Sea Eagles and Dragons in the last six weeks as they look for an unlikely premiership win as +5000 outsiders.

Cronulla Sharks NRL 2024 draw

Verdict: Winner

The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks will have mixed feelings about their draw. Craig Fitzgibbon’s men will be asked to play more games away from PointsBet Stadium (12) than they will play there, yet they will face the bottom six sides of the 2023 season more times than most (10).

The finish to Cronulla’s season is an especially mixed bag, as they play the Titans, Dragons and Sea Eagles on the road and also host the Knights and Warriors. Coming off a sixth-place finish last season, the Sharks are paying +2000 to clinch their second premiership.

Dolphins NRL 2024 draw

Verdict: Winner

The Dolphins have arguably the easiest start to the 2024 NRL season of all clubs. The ‘Phins have one venue yet to be confirmed, for their match against the Sea Eagles in round 10. If that match was to be played in Queensland, the Dolphins would only leave their home state once before round 12 — when they play the Eels in Darwin in round seven.

The newest NRL club only has nine official home games for the season, with 10 matches to be played against last term’s top six sides. However, the club may have one of the tougher finishes to the 2023 season, with matches against the Warriors, Storm, Broncos and Knights in the last five weeks before finals.

Gold Coast Titans NRL 2024 draw

Verdict: Loser

Incoming coach Des Hasler has been given a difficult start to his inaugural campaign at the Titans. Some 10 of the club’s matches will be played against the top six sides from last season, which just 11 matches on the Gold Coast.

A bye and matches against the Dragons, Bulldogs and Dolphins will make the start of the season much easier. However, their end to the regular season — with games against the Sharks, Roosters, Knights and Panthers — could make it difficult to reach the finals as they chase their maiden premiership.

Manly Sea Eagles NRL 2024 draw

Verdict: Loser

The case can also be made for the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles having one of the tougher draws of the 2024 NRL season. Manly have been asked to play more games away from their home ground than they will host, while only playing the bottom six sides of the 2023 season seven times.

Coach Anthony Siebold will be praying for a fully fit Tom Trbojevic to play the Rabbitohs in Las Vegas in round one before taking on the Roosters, Panthers and Warriors in the first six weeks of the season. Their last six weeks include a bye before playing the Tigers and Bulldogs, which could greatly improve their chances to play finals football.

Melbourne Storm NRL 2024 draw

Verdict: Loser

The Melbourne Storm have been dealt a short straw with the 2024 NRL season draw. They will play more matches away from home (12) than they will in Melbourne, while they also have just seven matches against the bottom six sides of the 2023 season.

In the first five weeks alone, Craig Bellamy’s men will play the Panthers, Warriors, Knights and Broncos along with a bye, all before playing the Roosters and Sharks before Magic Round. The Storm also have four of their last five matches for the season away from home against the Rabbitohs, Panthers, Cowboys and Broncos, so they will have to bring some form into home stretch if they want to justify their +800 premiership odds.

New Zealand Warriors NRL 2024 draw

Verdict: Winner

The 2024 NRL draw has given a boost to the New Zealand Warriors’ chances of playing finals for a second-straight season. They will play 10 matches against the bottom six sides from the 2023 season, and just eight against the top six.

The Wahs will have a tough start to the season with matches against the Sharks, Storm, Knights and Rabbitohs. However, their last five weeks are games against the Dolphins, Sea Eagles and Bulldogs before a bye in the last round of the season, which could set them up for a run at their first-ever premiership — which is paying +2000 at Neds.

Newcastle Knights NRL 2024 draw

Verdict: Winner

The Newcastle Knights are another club with a relatively soft draw for the upcoming season as they seek their first premiership in over 20 years. A dozen matches at McDonald Jones Stadium will be welcome news to the Hunter club, with nine games against the bottom six sides from the 2023 season.

Four of Newcastle’s first 11 games for the season will be against bottom-six sides. In the lead-up to the NRL finals, the Knights will play the Broncos before travelling to play the Panthers, Sharks and Rabbitohs, which could be a season-defining stretch of matches.

North Queensland Cowboys NRL 2024 draw

Verdict: Winner

The North Queensland Cowboys have been given one of the softest overall draws for the 2024 NRL season, with more games at home (12) and more games against the bottom six sides from the 2023 NRL season (10) than most clubs. Top online bookmakers have the Todd Payten-coached side at +1400 win the 2024 NRL Grand Final, which is sure to attract some interest from futures bettors.

The Townsville-based team may struggle throughout the opening weeks of the season, however, with matches against the Knights, Broncos, Sharks and Panthers before playing the Rabbitohs in Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium.

Parramatta Eels NRL 2024 draw

Verdict: Loser

The Parramatta Eels are one of three NRL clubs with the least number of away games (10) in the upcoming season. They also have nine games against the bottom six sides from the 2023 season, including matches at home against the Bulldogs, Sea Eagles and Tigers in the first five weeks of the season.

Brad Arthur’s men will be expecting a tough finish to the season with matches on the road against the Warriors, Roosters and Broncos as well as hosting the Panthers, which will only worsen their chances of breaking the longest-standing NRL premiership drought in 2024.

Penrith Panthers NRL 2024 draw

Verdict: Winner

The Penrith Panthers have been given an incredibly soft draw relative to their success in recent years. The three-time premiers will play 12 matches at home and just eight matches against the top six sides from the 2023 season as they look to win the 2024 NRL Premiership as +275 favourites with rugby league bookmakers.

Two of Penrith’s first three games of the season will be against the Storm and Broncos. However, four of their last six matches will be played at their home ground, with two of those being against the Knights and Storm.

South Sydney Rabbitohs NRL 2024 draw

Verdict: Loser

The South Sydney Rabbitohs have drawn fewer games at their home ground while also having to play more of the top six sides from the 2023 season than most clubs. After their match against the Sea Eagles in Las Vegas, where Jason Demetriou’s men are -181.82 favourites with top NRL bookmakers, the Bunnies will play the Broncos, Warriors, Sharks, Storm and Panthers all before Magic Round.

Souths’ finish to the regular season will not be any easier, with further matches against the Storm, Knights and Panthers all expected to be season-defining for their finals chances.

St George Illawarra Dragons NRL 2024 draw

Verdict: Winner

The St George Illawarra Dragons might have the softest draw of the entire competition in 2024, with more games at their home grounds (12) and more games against the bottom six sides of the 2023 season (12) than any other club.

The draw for new coach Shane Flanagan will bring great relief as he battles to keep club captain Ben Hunt in the Red V. The Dragons are also trying to recruit new players in a bid to improve their chances of winning the premiership next year as rank outsiders at +10000 odds.

Sydney Roosters NRL 2024 draw

Verdict: Loser

The Sydney Roosters will have a tough start to their 2024 NRL season following their match against the Broncos in Las Vegas. They will host their cross-town rivals South Sydney before taking on the Panthers, Knights, Storm, Broncos, Warriors and Sharks in the first 11 weeks of the competition.

All three of the Roosters’ byes come following Magic Round, which will boost their chances of returning to the NRL finals and winning another premiership. Online bookies have the Chooks slated at +900 in NRL 2024 outright betting.

Wests Tigers NRL 2024 draw

Verdict: Winner

The Wests Tigers will be expected to struggle again, with just 11 matches at home and seven matches against the bottom six sides from the 2023 NRL season. However, they have been given the bye in the first week of the competition, while they only need to play the top six sides from last season eight times.

The month before Magic Round will be tough for the Tigers, with matches against the Panthers, Broncos and Knights on the schedule. This will be balanced out with a bye and three home matches in the last month, which could help the club avoid ninth place on the ladder and make the finals.

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