The Penrith Panthers will play Newcastle in the much-anticipated opening round of next year’s NRL season.
The full 2014 draw was released this morning, confirming an opening round match against the Knights at Centrebet Stadium on Saturday, March 8 at 4.30pm.
It is a bizarre kick-off time for a game in western Sydney considering the heat at that time of year and the fact that the NRL’s Saturday matches don’t usually kick-off until 5.30pm.
The season itself kicks off on Thursday, March 6 with the Rabbitohs taking on the Roosters at ANZ Stadium. Canterbury play Brisbane on Friday night while the Sea Eagles and Storm play on Saturday, as do the Cowboys and Raiders. Sunday sees the Dragons and Tigers do battle at ANZ, while the Eels will open their season against the Warriors on Sunday night. Cronulla and Gold Coast play the final game of the round in the first Monday Night Football of 2014.
The first 20 rounds of the season have been allocated dates and times, with the remaining six rounds to be allocated later in 2014.
“Ensuring that members can plan around when their team is playing has remained a key priority,” NRL Head of Football, Mr Todd Greenberg, said today.
“This is a draw that has been built around fans and building major events in major stadiums while retaining traditional venues.”
The draw also features:
• Evening scheduling of seven out of eight games each week over the first three rounds to reduce heat issues
• Key event rounds beginning with a Members Round (rd 2), Men of League Heritage Round (rd 5), Harvey Norman Women in League Round (rd 10), Close the Gap Round (rd 23) and the Glory Bound rounds in the lead up to the finals
• In partnership with Fox Sports the NRL has increased the number of day games moving Sunday evening games to Saturday afternoon
• Four Thursday night games in the run to the semi-finals
• Two games at the historic SCG Dragons v Rabbitohs (rd 5), Rabbitohs v Manly (rd 22)
“The draw is a spectacular advertisement for our game,” Mr Greenberg said today.
“Wherever you look over the twenty-six competition rounds there are just great contests.
“Fans will appreciate the big Sunday match ups as well as the regular Friday night and Saturday evening games and we have worked with our broadcasters to ensure that the schedule delivers compulsive viewing.
“Nine has some great games on free to air and Fox Sports has made a commitment to taking Super Saturday to a new level by taking its first choice games from Monday to Saturday evening.
“With the increase of Saturday afternoon games there is a chance on a number of weekends for fans to watch the Holden Cup, VB NSW Cup and then two NRL matches live from 11.00am through till well after 9.00pm.”
2014 sees the retention of the representative round with a World Cup final rematch between Australia and New Zealand in Australia on May 2 (venue to be announced); Fiji v Samoa on May 3 and AAMI City v Country at Dubbo on May 4.
PENRITH’S 2014 SCHEDULE
Round 1: v Knights, Centrebet Stadium (Saturday, March 8, 4.30pm)
Round 2: v Storm, AAMI Park (Saturday, March 15, 5.30pm)
Round 3: v Bulldogs, Centrebet Stadium (Saturday, March 22, 4.30pm)
Round 4: v Eels, Pirtek Stadium (Saturday, March 29, 5.30pm)
Round 5: v Raiders, Centrebet Stadium (Saturday, April 5, 5.30pm)
Round 6: v Rabbitohs, Centrebet Stadium (Friday, April 11, 7.40pm)
Round 7: v Titans, Centrebet Stadium (Monday, April 21, 7.00pm)
Round 8: v Sharks, Remondis Stadium (Saturday, April 26, 3.00pm)
Round 9 v Knights, Hunter Stadium (Sunday, May 11, 2.00pm)
Round 10 v Raiders, Canberra Stadium (Sunday, May 18, 2.00pm)
Round 11: Bye
Round 12: v Eels, Centrebet Stadium (Friday, May 30, 7.45pm)
Round 13: v Titans, Skilled Park (Saturday, June 7, 5.30pm)
Round 14: v Dragons, Centrebet Stadium (Saturday, June 14, 5.30pm)
Round 15: Bye
Round 16: v Warriors, Mt Smart Stadium (Sunday, June 29, 2.00pm)
Round 17: v Tigers, Leichhardt Oval (Sunday, July 6, 3.00pm)
Round 18: v Broncos, Centrebet Stadium (Monday, July 14, 7.00pm)
Round 19: v Roosters, Allianz Stadium (Saturday, July 19, 3.00pm)
Round 20: v Sharks, Centrebet Stadium (Saturday, July 26, 3.00pm)
Round 21: v Bulldogs, ANZ Stadium (TBA)
Round 22: v Dragons, WIN Stadium (TBA)
Round 23: v Cowboys, Centrebet Stadium (TBA)
Round 24: v Storm, Centrebet Stadium (TBA)
Round 25: v Sea Eagles, Brookvale Oval (TBA)
Round 26: v Warriors, Centrebet Stadium (TBA)
