How did your club fare in the 2025 NRL draw? From rookie coach's 'tough gig' to 'one clear standout'
Winners and losers from 2025 draw
The official NRL draw has been released for next season (CLICK HERE TO SEE IT IN FULL), with some clubs winning big while others will be sweating on a horror start.
The 27 rounds of action will give fans plenty to sink their teeth into and now we can finally assess who are the genuine contenders and which sides may struggle to feature in the finals.
Wide World of Sports takes a look at every club's draw and gives it a grade ahead of the 2025 season.
Scroll on to find out how your club fared!
Brisbane Broncos: C
Games against finals teams: 12
Byes: 12, 15, 20
It will be a tough start for Michael Maguire, with some tricky away trips early in the season against the Warriors and Raiders.
Brisbane will also face the Roosters twice in the opening six rounds.
Their run home will be even more difficult, with two clashes against premiership favourites Melbourne, as well as away trips to Townsville and Newcastle.
A dozen matches against top-eight teams from 2024 isn't ideal, but it's not the worst in the competition either.
Maguire's men will also need to wait three months to receive a week off, but all of their byes will then come in rather quick succession.
Canberra Raiders: B+
Games against finals teams: 10
Byes - 15, 19, 24
Canberra will be on the road a fair bit early in the season, with long trips to Darwin and Las Vegas on the docket.
Ricky Stuart's side will also take on finals teams Manly and Cowboys away from home in a tough period.
The end of the year might be a little bit easier, with plenty of home games for the Green Machine as well as a bye.
Canberra's 10 games against finals teams from last season is among the lowest in the NRL and given their lack of Origin players, the middle portion of the season is probably where they strike.
The only issue for the Raiders may be the fact they don't receive a bye until round 15 - the latest of any club.
Canterbury Bulldogs: B
Games against finals teams: 10
Byes: 6, 13, 16
It will be a cruisy start to the year for the biggest improvers of the 2024 campaign, who won't leave Sydney until two months into the season.
However, the run home poses a massive headache for the Bulldogs, who will be forced to play every top-four team from last season, including a tough road trip to play the Storm in Melbourne.
Overall though, Canterbury fans should be pretty pleased with their schedule with just 10 games against top-eight sides and two byes during Origin period.
Cronulla Sharks: D
Games against finals teams: 13
Byes: 13, 18, 25
Somebody has clearly been listening to the criticism around Cronulla's soft draw in recent years, with a chaotic start to the season on the agenda.
Craig Fitzgibbon's men will travel to Las Vegas, Townsville, Canberra and Perth early in the year, with four games in the opening two months against finals teams from last season.
Sharks fans will get to see their team in action a bit more later in the year, with their final eight games all in Sydney.
Cronulla also receive a bye towards the end of the year, but the 13 fixtures against top-eight teams is the most of any club in the NRL.
Dolphins: B-
Games against finals teams: 11
Byes: 13, 18, 21
Kristian Woolf will ease into life as a full-time NRL head coach, with the Dolphins not slated to leave the Sunshine State until two months into the season.
With home games against the Tigers and Rabbitohs early doors, there's a real chance for the Redcliffe-based side to strike early as they have done in their first two seasons in the competition.
The run home for the Dolphins will see them travel across the ditch to face the Warriors, as well as a tough away game against Manly, but the rest of their final fixtures will be in Brisbane.
With 11 games against finals sides, the Dolphins sit in the middle of the road and won't be upset with the draw.
Gold Coast Titans: C+
Games against finals teams: 11
Byes: 1, 12, 18
Des Hasler will be taking his boys on the road a fair bit early in their campaign, with three trips to Sydney, as well as away games against the Cowboys and Raiders, set to cause some headaches after a first round bye.
The run home isn't so bad for the Titans, with a few home games against teams who failed to make the finals in 2024, as well as an away trip to Auckland.
Gold Coast have 11 games against top-eight teams and a spread out bye schedule, which is never a bad thing.
Manly Sea Eagles: A
Games against finals teams: 10
Byes: Magic Round, 16, 19
Manly fans should be feeling pretty optimistic heading into next year, with just 10 games against top-eight teams.
Anthony Seibold's men have five home games booked early in the season, but will also travel to Perth and face the Warriors across the ditch early on.
The run home is reasonably favourable as well, with the Sea Eagles not leaving Sydney for the last four rounds and taking on the Dragons, Warriors and Tigers during that stretch.
Manly will also avoid a trip to Magic Round, which has been used as a home game in recent years at Suncorp.
Melbourne Storm: C-
Games against finals teams: 12
Byes: 2, 12, 15
Melbourne will come into the season as favourites, but their draw is far from perfect and presents some tough challenges for the 2024 runners-up.
While they have an early bye booked, clashes with Panthers (at home) and Manly (away) won't be easy.
The run home is looking rather tricky too, with two games against the Roosters, as well as road trips to face the Broncos and Panthers.
Craig Bellamy's team won't have a bye from round 15 onwards, while their dozen games against top-eight teams is up there with the most in the NRL.
Newcastle Knights: A
Games against finals teams: 9
Byes: 4, 18, 22
If there was one clear standout from the draw release, it was the Knights.
Newcastle will face just one top-eight team in the opening six weeks, with a clash against the Bulldogs in Sydney and a bye round on the agenda.
The run home will be a little tricky with away trips against the Raiders and Cowboys, as well as a clash with reigning premiers Penrith.
Adam O'Brien and Kalyn Ponga have a widespread offering of byes and play less finals teams than anyone else.
