Wests Tigers fans have been left fuming once again at the NRL draw for the 2026 season with the club handed the bye to start their season for the second time in three years. This comes after Peter V’landys claimed the NRL would use AI generated technology to design the draw after backlash in 2025.
NRL fans have a five month wait before the season kicks-off again, but the league has already started to ramp up excitement having released the opening fixtures for the season. While the four Las Vegas teams were already locked in to open the season, there were other juicy fixtures fans are excited about.
Wests Tigers fans have been left fuming once again after being handed the bye to start their season for the second time in three years, which comes after the NRL made a change to use AI generated technology to design the 2026 draw. (Images: Getty Images)
Manly’s new halfback Jamal Fogarty will play his old club in the Raiders to start the season, while new Parramatta Eels signing Jonah Pezet will play former club the Storm. This will also mark the third time in four years the Parramatta Eels will take on the Melbourne Storm in round one.
But the biggest frustration to come out of the draw was the round one bye for Wests Tigers fans. All supporters want to see their side get amongst the excitement of round one and avoid the bye. While one team has to skip round one with 17 teams in the competition, the bye has now fallen to the Wests Tigers twice in the last three years.
While Benji Marshall’s side played at home this year to start the season, they sat out the opening fixture in 2024. The bye does give them another week of preparation heading into the season and some could view it as a bonus.
Although there is no doubt it is certainly a big letdown for fans who have waited five months to see their team play after a long off-season. Last year, there was plenty of frustration with the draw around the State of Origin schedule with some teams benefitting from byes, while others toiled away.
Eyebrows were raised to star the season when the Roosters played the Panthers and the Broncos twice each in the opening seven matches. The Melbourne Storm’s run home into the NRL finals was also baffling with the club handed a nice buffer between games for an extended run.
This saw the NRL move to an AI generated draw for the first time. But Tigers fans have expressed their anger having suggested the draw is a huge letdown for the team and they shouldn’t be eligible for the bye only two years after copping it in 2024.
Some suggested it’s a disadvantage to the Wests Tigers and coach Marshall because other teams get to blow out the cobwebs in the first round and adjust from their errors. Most clubs would probably prefer their bye to come somewhere in the middle of the season to give players a rest, rather than the beginning when the team is coming into the season fresh. This comes after the Tigers showed improvement in 2025 with Jarome Luai helping the team to 13th on the ladder.
Brisbane Broncos cop brutal Panthers fixture
In one of the biggest matches to open the round, the reigning champions the Brisbane Broncos will play the Panthers at Suncorp Stadium. This a rematch of this year’s preliminary final. The Broncos will have two weeks between their World Club Challenge match in England and the opening round against the Panthers. The Broncos are eager to win some silverware ahead of the NRL season with English fans granted another opportunity to watch Kangaroos superstar Reece Walsh in their backyard.
2026 NRL opening round:
Saturday February 27 (Sunday February 28 AEDT):
Canterbury v St George Illawarra, Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
Newcastle v North Queensland, Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas
Thursday March 5:
Melbourne v Parramatta, AAMI Park
Friday March 6:
Warriors v Sydney Roosters, Go Media Stadium
Brisbane v Penrith, Suncorp Stadium
Saturday March 7:
Cronulla v Gold Coast, Shark Stadium
Manly v Canberra, 4Pines Park
Sunday March 8:
Dolphins v South Sydney, Suncorp Stadium
Jarome Luai (pictured left), Adam Doueihi (pictured middle) and Sunia Turuva (pictured right) won’t be playing in round one of the 2026 NRL season.