The NRL has released the draw for the 2022 season and as usual it is packed full of blockbuster clashes.
But we’ve picked out 10 that no NRL fan should miss – and they’re all live and free on Nine!
**CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL NRL DRAW FOR SEASON 2022**
Panthers v Sea Eagles, Round 1, Thursday March 10, LIVE on Nine
The first time fans will see the Panthers in action since they won the club’s first premiership in 18 years by beating South Sydney in the 2021 grand final.
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This clash also pits the rival State of Origin halfbacks – Nathan Cleary and Daly Cherry-Evans – against one another. Cleary is fresh off a Dally M and Clive Churchill Medal winning season, which also included an Origin series win over Cherry-Evans’ Maroons.
The Sea Eagles will be desperate to make an early-season statement against the premiers after having their 2021 season ended in disappointing fashion.
Broncos v Rabbitohs, Round 1, Friday March 11, LIVE on Nine
It will be the first time champion halfback Adam Reynolds has played against his beloved South Sydney.
The veteran playmaker didn’t want to leave the burrow, but was ultimately forced to when the Bunnies could only offer him a one-year deal, and he decided to take the longer contract at Red Hill.
This game will also be the debut of new head coach Jason Demetriou, who has replaced supercoach Wayne Bennett at the helm of the Rabbitohs. He worked at the Broncos under Bennett previously.
Dragons v Sharks, Round 3, Thursday March 24, LIVE on Nine
The Shire derby is always a treat for not just fans of the two clubs, but the entire rugby league community, such is the passion and history of the match-up.
This one will hold extra meaning for Cronulla recruit Cameron McInnes.
He was the Dragons’ best player in 2020 and captained the club. But when new coach Anthony Griffin arrived in 2021, McInnes had the captaincy taken off him, he reluctantly signed with the Sharks, and then a serious knee injury ended his season before it had begun.
McInnes will be more than a little keen to go up against his former club and the coach who essentially cast him aside.
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Broncos v Cowboys, Round 3, Sunday March 27, LIVE on Nine
Even though these two clubs haven’t been overly successful in the NRL in the past couple of years, they’ve built an intrastate rivalry that continues to produce blockbuster games.
Since the Cowboys beat the Broncos in the 2015 grand final, these two teams have been involved in four field-goal-decided contests, where the winning margin has been one point.
North Queensland beat Brisbane 19-18 in their first meeting of the 2021 season. What will this one throw up?
Panthers v Rabbitohs, Round 4, Friday April 1, LIVE on Nine
The grand final rematch South Sydney will be desperate to win.
Penrith won the 2021 grand final 14-12 against the Bunnies, breaking the hearts of cardinal and myrtle fans around the country.
The name of the game for Jason Demetriou and his men is revenge.
Storm v Bulldogs, Round 4, Sunday April 3, LIVE on Nine
Superstar winger Josh Addo-Carr goes up against his beloved Melbourne for the first time since leaving the Victorian club for a move home to Sydney.
The representative flanker won multiple premierships with the Storm but now finds himself at the club that won the wooden spoon in 2021.
He’s likely to line up against Melbourne’s new winger and star recruit, Xavier Coates.
Storm v Sharks, Round 6, Saturday April 16, LIVE on Nine
A couple of former Melbourne favourites – Dale Finucane and Nicho Hynes – go up against their former club for the first time since leaving.
The Storm wanted to keep both players but ultimately couldn’t afford to beat the offers coming in from the Shire club.
Hynes, by this stage, should have cemented himself a spot in the Sharks halves and he will be going head-to-head with former teammates Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes, both representative playmakers.
Storm v Panthers, Round 10, Saturday May 14, LIVE on Nine
They’ve been the two best teams through the regular season the past two years, and have already been installed as the two 2022 premiership favourites with bookmakers.
Since Melbourne won the 2020 grand final against Penrith, the two teams have built a fierce rivalry that’s produced some absolute blockbusters.
The Panthers won a thrilling clash 12-10 the first time they met after that grand final. The Storm won easily next time, before the Panthers sprung a finals upset to knock Melbourne out of the 2021 premiership running in a 10-6 epic.
Whenever they meet next year it’s sure to be fireworks.
Sea Eagles v Storm, Round 16, Thursday June 30, LIVE on Nine
Perhaps the fiercest rivalry in the NRL today, highlighted by the “Battle of Brookvale” biff that still gets shown on highlight reels every year.
Melbourne has dominated the contest in recent years but no matter the result, the players and fans are at each other’s throats for 80 minutes.
The last time the Sea Eagles won this match-up was an 11-10 classic in mid-2019. You can be sure Brookie will be sold out for this one.
Roosters v Rabbitohs, Round 25, Friday September 2, LIVE on Nine
The two oldest clubs in the NRL share a long, proud, but bitter rivalry.
Highlighted nowadays in Russell Crowe’s famous “book of feuds”, there’s so much history between the eastern Sydney teams that it attracts the interest of sporting fans from across the country.
And playing at the SCG – NSW’s most famous sporting venue – always adds extra heat to the occasion.
The 2021 form of these two clubs suggest they will both be fighting it out towards the top of the table at this point in the season.
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