Arch rivals the Rabbitohs and Roosters have been handed two of the toughest schedules of the 2025 NRL season, according to analysis of next year’s draw.

The foundation clubs, who will meet in round five and again in the final round before the finals, both have two match-ups against grand finalists Melbourne and Penrith, as well as top-four team Cronulla and likely improvers the Bulldogs and Broncos.

Meanwhile, the finals hopes of the Canberra Raiders and New Zealand Warriors have been given a boost with the most generous draws of the competition.

The Herald has analysed the fixture list for all 17 clubs, rating their opponents based on a combination of where each team finished last season and how the bookmakers rate their premiership chances next year.

Each club has been given a draw difficulty factor for their opponents based on where they finished last year – 17 for premiers Penrith, 1 for wooden spooners Wests Tigers. We’ve also run the numbers based on premiership betting with Sportsbet – 17 for title favourites Melbourne, down to 1 for the bookies’ longshots St George Illawarra.

Every NRL team plays every other club once, and eight teams twice. So the teams they play twice determine which teams have a “tough” draw or an “easy” one.

Our analysis doesn’t consider aspects of the draw such as travel, short turnarounds or the State of Origin schedule, but for it does give us a quick snapshot of which clubs face the toughest opponents in 2025.

Here’s how we rank them.

No team plays last year’s top four more often than the Bunnies as Wayne Bennett makes his return in cardinal and myrtle. Souths’ start to 2025 is especially tough with skipper Cameron Murray sidelined and a run of games against last year’s top eight from rounds three to nine. There’s a tough five-day turnaround between taking on Cronulla and Penrith in that stretch as well leading into the Origin period. All three of the Rabbitohs’ byes come after round 12 and their run home does get easier, but they will be up against it without early wins.

Difficulty: 1st

Melbourne’s endurance will go under the microscope with all their byes scheduled before mid-June, though two coincide with Origin fixtures. The last four months straight is a tough ask for any club, let alone one with the Storm’s strong representative contingent. Craig Bellamy will look........

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