The Brisbane Broncos head into the 2025 NRL season needing a drastic change of fortunes, but a difficult fixture list won't make life easy for the Red Hill-based side.
Here is everything you need to know on the fixture front for Michael Maguire's side ahead of the new season.
Teams to play twice
Sydney Roosters (Round 1, 6), North Queensland Cowboys (Round 3, 26), The Dolphins (Round 4, 24), New Zealand Warriors (Round 7, 17), Canterbury Bulldogs (Round 8, 18), South Sydney Rabbitohs (Round 10, 22), Gold Coast Titans (Round 14, 19), Melbourne Storm (Round 23, 27)
The Broncos have a tough run of double-ups if you base it on last year's ladder, with the Roosters, Cowboys, Bulldogs and Storm all making the top eight.
More realistically though, the Roosters are in for a tough season, the Cowboys could be anyone's guess, and the Bulldogs, while expected to be a top-eight side, are no guarantee of being there.
Out of the rest, the Rabbitohs could be their biggest challenge as they look to improve in their second stint under Wayne Bennett.
Travel schedule
The Broncos are under the NRL average when it comes to total kilometres travelled this year, but will still face nine return flights out of Brisbane, and a tick over 33 hours via air travel.
It's a tough start too with trips to Sydney and Canberra in the first couple of weeks, but then, apart from a trip to New Zealand, they don't leave Brisbane again until Round 10.
They leave Queensland again during Round 13, Round 17, Round 23 and Round 25.
Turnaround times
The Broncos face a real challenge here, with three five-day turnarounds.
The first of those comes after a trip to New Zealand. They will fly back after Saturday's game, then play the Canterbury Bulldogs on Thursday, April 24 in Round 8 at home to kick-off Anzac Round.
They face yet another five-day turnaround just two weeks later after Magic Round when they play South Sydney away from home, and the final five-day turnaround comes ahead of the final round against the Melbourne Storm at home.
Start of the season
The Broncos face a start to the season that should have them in a very good position, and frankly, if they are going to play finals, we will know within the first six weeks.
They play the Roosters - who are likely to struggle - twice, the Raiders, the Cowboys, the Dolphins and the Wests Tigers.
While they do start with two away games, the Broncos will not play finals this year if they are less than 50 per cent over the first month and a half.
The Origin period
The Origin period is always something of a challenge for the Broncos, albeit less in recent years than previously.
They have the bye leading into Game 1, the bye leading into Game 2, and will have to play away from home against the Bulldogs before Game 3.
They clash with the Sea Eagles (away), Cronulla Sharks (home) and Gold Coast Titans (away) in the games after Origin, although the latter two of those are on Sunday's.
Certainly not a disastrous Origin period schedule for the Broncos.
The run home
If the Broncos are going to play finals football, they are going to have to earn it.
Two games against the Storm in the final five weeks will make things difficult, as will Round 21 and 22 clashes against the Eels and Rabbitohs before the first Storm game.
Their other games on the run home will see them at home in the derby against the Dolphins (Round 24), and then away against both the Newcastle Knights and North Queensland Cowboys, who, fitness of their top players pending, should be in the mix for the finals as the Broncos will be.
Toughest stretch
After a simpler start to the season, it's tough to go past their run between Round 7 and Round 10.
Away to the Warriors, a five-day turnaround to host the Bulldogs, the weight of magic round expectation against the Panthers, and then away to the Rabbitohs on another five-day turnaround.
We are going to find out what the Broncos are all about here.
Easiest stretch
There is probably no super straight forward stretch for the Broncos, but the start of the Origin period suits them well. Round 11 is at home against the Dragons, then the bye before Game 1, then matches against the Sea Eagles and Gold Coast Titans in Rounds 13 and 14.
Games to watch
Round 4, vs The Dolphins, Suncorp Stadium, Friday, Mar 28, 8pm
Round 8, vs Canterbury Bulldogs, Suncorp Stadium, Thu, Apr 24, 7:50pm
Round 9, vs Penrith Panthers, Suncorp Stadium, Sun, May 4, 4:05pm
Round 16, vs Cronulla Sharks, Suncorp Stadium, Sun, Jun 22, 2pm
Round 27, vs Melbourne Storm, Suncorp Stadium, Thu, Sep 4, 7:50pm
The must-win games
Round 1, vs Sydney Roosters, Allianz Stadium, Thu, Mar 6, 8pm
Round 4, vs The Dolphins, Suncorp Stadium, Friday, Mar 28, 8pm
Round 11, vs St George Illawarra Dragons, Suncorp Stadium, Sun, May 18, 2pm
Round 21, vs Parramatta Eels, Suncorp Stadium, Fri, Jul 25, 8pm
Round 25, vs Newcastle Knights, McDonald Jones Stadium, Sun, Aug 24, 2pm
Full fixtures
Round | Opponent | Date | Time (AEDT) | Venue |
1 | Roosters | Thu, Mar 6 | 8:00 pm | Allianz Stadium |
2 | Raiders | Sat, Mar 15 | 7:35 pm | GIO Stadium |
3 | Cowboys | Fri, Mar 21 | 8:00 pm | Suncorp Stadium |
4 | Dolphins | Fri, Mar 28 | 8:00 pm | Suncorp Stadium |
5 | Wests Tigers | Sat, Apr 5 | 7:35 pm | Suncorp Stadium |
6 | Roosters | Fri, Apr 11 | 8:00 pm | Suncorp Stadium |
7 | Warriors | Sat, Apr 19 | 5:30 pm | Go Media Stadium |
8 | Bulldogs | Thu, Apr 24 | 7:50 pm | Suncorp Stadium |
9 | Panthers | Sun, May 4 | 4:05 pm | Suncorp Stadium |
10 | Rabbitohs | Fri, May 9 | 8:00 pm | Accor Stadium |
11 | Dragons | Sun, May 18 | 2:00 pm | Suncorp Stadium |
12 | Bye | |||
13 | Sea Eagles | Sat, May 31 | 7:35 pm | 4 Pines Park |
14 | Titans | Sat, Jun 7 | 7:35 pm | Suncorp Stadium |
15 | Bye | |||
16 | Sharks | Sun, Jun 22 | 2:00 pm | Suncorp Stadium |
17 | Warriors | Sat, Jun 28 | 3:00 pm | Suncorp Stadium |
18 | Bulldogs | Fri, Jul 4 | 8:00 pm | Accor Stadium |
19 | Titans | Sun, Jul 13 | 6:15 pm | Cbus Super Stadium |
20 | Bye | |||
21 | Eels | Fri, Jul 25 | 8:00 pm | Suncorp Stadium |
22 | Rabbitohs | Fri, Aug 1 | 8:00 pm | Suncorp Stadium |
23 | Storm | Thu, Aug 7 | 7:50 pm | AAMI Park |
24 | Dolphins | Sat, Aug 16 | 5:30 pm | Suncorp Stadium |
25 | Knights | Sun, Aug 24 | 2:00 pm | McDonald Jones Stadium |
26 | Cowboys | Sat, Aug 30 | 7:35 pm | Queensland Country Bank Stadium |
27 | Storm | Thu, Sep 4 | 7:50 pm | Suncorp Stadium |