Predicted 2023 Opening Round Games

Harry Sack

Harry Sack

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Jun 12, 2013
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How are we thinking the opening round will look? A bit more complex next year with the inclusion of an extra team meaning one will have to sit out. I haven't read anything that indicates which team will sit out the first round but if anyone has, feel free to share it here. IMO they'll need to come up with a set in stone rule moving forward, until the next team is introduced. I'd be going with one of the teams from the GF personally. Whether that is the winners or runner up is up for debate but depending on whether they're reintroducing the WCC, I'd be leaning towards the Panthers in this case. I could be wrong but I seem to remember reading at some point that it was being talked about. I thought about maybe the Wooden Spoon team but coming from the POV of a fan from a team that won one, when that happened I was really keen to see what the club had done to fix some of the problems, so couldn't wait to see them run out in round one. Unsure about scheduling or venue but I think I'd like to see....

Titans V Dolphins
Tigers V Knights
Souths V Manly (Seibold)
Eels V Dogs
Broncos V Cowboys
Raiders V Dragons
Roosters V Sharks
Storm V Warriors

Bye: Panthers

I'm exceptionally confident they won't put so many decent games in the first round, but that's what I'd love to see personally. It's a good mix of rivalries and relatively even match ups bar one or 2. I would also take...

Tigers V Cows (2005)
Storm V Broncos (nuff said)
Warriors V Knights (reasonable match up)

...as well.
 
Sproj said:
Surely Penrith, as defending jerk...I mean premiers are not going to be given week 1 as the bye. I wouldn't be surprised if it is Manly.
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I'm coming at this from a future forward perspective, which I understand is unreasonable from the current admin. Take the Panthers out of it...they need to make a call on who misses out round 1
 
Harry Sack said:
Agreed. I can see them going with Dolphins V someone else round 1 at Suncorp with Broncos V Dolphins round 2 though.
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it will 100% be Dolphins v Roosters at Lang Park in round 1 ... you can lock it in Eddie

Dolphins v Broncos at Lang Park for round 2 is also likely
 
Foordy said:
it will 100% be Dolphins v Roosters at Lang Park in round 1 ... you can lock it in Eddie

Dolphins v Broncos at Lang Park for round 2 is also likely
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I've seen this pop up. Why the Roosters?
 
Foordy said:
the Dolphins have asked for the Roosters first up.

they want this fixture to be the annual Artie Beetson Cup
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Yeah...I'm an imbecile. Completely forgot about the Beetson factor.
 
Harry Sack said:
I'm coming at this from a future forward perspective, which I understand is unreasonable from the current admin. Take the Panthers out of it...they need to make a call on who misses out round 1
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They could link the selection of byes to positions on the previous year's ladder.

Penrith finished first so they get to choose which round they want their first bye, sharks finished second so they pick second, etc. after Tiger's pick their first it goes back to Penrith for when they want their second bye and goes through again.

It doesn't need to be a TV show like a normal draft, but it removes a perception of favouritism from the NSWRL towards teams and rewards teams based on where they finished the previous year. It's not a huge season changing reward, but I bet coaches would love to have some real control over when their byes take place.

I haven't read an article on the draw for next year, but I think I saw something about 3 byes for each team??

I'd imagine one of those byes will be an origin weekend, but the other two would then likely be one in the first half and the other in the second half.

If you pick your byes based on where you finish on the ladder, then you're basically shafted for finishing last, but that's your own fault.

It also creates something to play for in the previous year and provides incentives to finishing as high on the ladder as possible.

If it's known that Penrith were allowed to pick Rd 25 of next year for their bye because they finished first then it removes calls of favouritism and it's known that it's their reward for finishing first... and it's probably a hell of a lot better than the $100k or whatever they get for being the minor premiers.
 
I won’t hold my breath that every team will get an even amount of byes, I can’t see the NRL being smart enough to figure out how to make it work.
 
Damn Harry. You know it's the off-season when we're discussing what teams we think will play each other in the opening round. What a dry subject, fair dinkum. Bunch of tragics, the lot of yas! 😛
 
Harry Sack said:
Yeah...I'm an imbecile. Completely forgot about the Beetson factor.
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Great history with beetson but it has absolutely zero to do with that despite what the nrl tell us. More to do with politi$ getting what he wants after losing a game of golf to slimeball vlandys
 
Lockysillegitimatechild said:
Great history with beetson but it has absolutely zero to do with that despite what the nrl tell us. More to do with politi$ getting what he wants after losing a game of golf to slimeball vlandys
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NSWRL could be worried to throw that game into round 1.

Their shiny new toy up against one of the few teams that is expected to compete with panthers next year ... they could get 40 put on them in their inaugural game
 
Thursday: Eels vs Bulldogs
Friday early : Titans vs Broncos
Friday late: Broncos vs Storm
Saturday 3pm: Sharks vs Warriors
Saturday 5:30pm: Tigers vs Canberra
Saturday 7:30pm: Cowboys vs Broncos
Sunday 2pm: Dolphins vs Roosters
Sunday 4pm: Souths vs Broncos
 
Dolphins are going to be playing Roosters in their first game on the Sunday March 5 at 4.
 
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