The Canterbry Bulldogs have been handed the ideal fixture list to make a run through 2025 which will only improve on 2024, where they returned to the finals for the first time in eight years.
Here is everything you need to know on the fixture front for the Belmore-based side ahead of the new season.
Teams to play twice
St George Illawarra Dragons (Round 1, 20), Gold Coast Titans (Round 2, 9), Parramatta Eels (Round 3, 14), Cronulla Sharks (Round 4, 27), South Sydney Rabbitohs (Round 7, 15), Brisbane Broncos (Round 8, 18), Sydney Roosters (Round 11, 24), Penrith Panthers (Round 17, 26)
The Bulldogs were ranked with the 14th hardest draw in the competition when the numbers were ran in November.
They play just ten matches against last year's top eight, and while they do have to face the Panthers and Sharks twice, their other top eight double-up is against the injury-plagued Roosters.
They do face some of the trickier teams from the bottom eight in what could be a wide open 2025 NRL competition, but it's certainly not a draw they can be complaining about.
Travel schedule
The Bulldogs have the easiest travel schedule in the competition. They will only get on a plane four times throughout 2025, the lowest anywhere in the competition.
Two of those come back to back in Rounds 8 and 9, against the Broncos on April 24, and the Titans during Magic Round ten days later.
They also head to Townsville in Round 19, and Melbourne in Round 25, but the remainder of their games, with the exception of a trip to Canberra, come in New South Wales.
Turnaround times
Turnaround times is another area of the fixture the Bulldogs have won in. They have no five-day turnarounds, and 14 of their turnarounds have seven or more days between games.
They do have an above average nine six-day turnarounds, but it's hardly a major cause for concern given how standard the six-day turnaround is.
They also have sizeable turnarounds leading into some of their big games - 11 days before they play the Panthers for the first time, 7 days before they play the Storm, and 9 days before their second match up with the Sharks.
Start of the season
The Bulldogs will want to be three and zero. That much is a certainty. They kick off against a team who they have had the wood over recently in the St George Illawarra Dragons at Kogarah, then head to Belmore against the Gold Coast Titans, before taking on the Parramatta Eels in a derby at Parramatta.
Things get tougher from there with the Sharks away and the Panthers at home (Round 7), as well as a clash against the ever-unpredictable Knights in Round 5 before their first bye of the season.
Momentum over those first three weeks could set the season up nicely for the Belmore-based outfit though.
The Origin period
The Bulldogs will be one club potentially hoping to not lose many to Origin. They don't have a bye before any of the three games, and instead will play the Dolphins in Round 12, the Rabbitohs in Round 15, and the Broncos in Round 18.
They do have byes after Games 1 and 2 which will help any players in not having to back up, but have to play the Cowboys on the road after Game 3.
The Origin period could be the toughest part of an otherwise straightforward fixture list for Canterbury.
The run home
The Bulldogs have a nightmarish run home. Round 24 is the Roosters, then they travel to Melbourne to play the Storm, before hosting the Panthers and Sharks over the final two weeks of the season.
Games against all of last year's top four in the final four weeks is as difficult as it gets on paper, with games against the Warriors, Tigers and Sea Eagles in the weeks preceding that.
Toughest stretch
See above. Round 25 through to Round 27. Storm, Panthers, Sharks, back-to-back. The only positive is that none of those games come on a five-day turnaround.
Easiest stretch
You could argue for a few stretches of the schedule for the Bulldogs, but we are going with the block from Round 12 to Round 15.
They have the Dolphins without their Origin players in Round 12, then a bye, then clash with the Parramatta Eels and South Sydney Rabbitohs, again without Origin players.
Both of those teams might find some improvement this year, but based on form last year, this is a period of the fixture the Bulldogs will be looking to build a head of steam during.
Games to watch
Round 3, vs Parramatta Eels, CommBank Stadium, Sun, Mar 23, 4:05pm
Round 11, vs Sydney Roosters, Accor Stadium, Fri, May 16, 8pm
Round 17, vs Penrith Panthers, CommBank Stadium, Thu, Jun 26, 7:50pm
Round 25, vs Melbourne Storm, AAMI Park, Fri, Aug 22, 8pm
Round 27, vs Cronulla Sharks, Accor Stadium, Sat, Sep 6, 7:35pm
The must-win games
Round 1, vs St George Illawarra Dragons at Jubilee Stadium, Sat, Mar 8, 5:30pm
Round 2, vs Gold Coast Titans at Belmore Sports Ground, Sun, Mar 16, 6:15pm
Round 8, vs Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium, Thu, Apr 24, 7:50pm
Round 11, vs Sydney Roosters, Accor Stadium, Fri, May 16, 8pm
Round 23, vs New Zealand Warriors, Accor Stadium, Sat, Aug 9, 7:35pm
Full fixtures
Round | Opponent | Date | Time (AEDT) | Venue |
1 | Dragons | Sat, Mar 8 | 5:30 pm | Netstrata Jubilee Stadium |
2 | Titans | Sun, Mar 16 | 6:15 pm | Belmore Sports Ground |
3 | Eels | Sun, Mar 23 | 4:05 pm | CommBank Stadium |
4 | Sharks | Sat, Mar 29 | 7:35 pm | Sharks Stadium |
5 | Knights | Sun, Apr 6 | 6:15 pm | Accor Stadium |
6 | Bye | |||
7 | Rabbitohs | Fri, Apr 18 | 4:05 pm | Accor Stadium |
8 | Broncos | Thu, Apr 24 | 7:50 pm | Suncorp Stadium |
9 | Titans | Sun, May 4 | 1:50 pm | Suncorp Stadium |
10 | Raiders | Sat, May 10 | 3:00 pm | GIO Stadium |
11 | Roosters | Fri, May 16 | 8:00 pm | Accor Stadium |
12 | Dolphins | Thu, May 22 | 7:50 pm | Accor Stadium |
13 | Bye | |||
14 | Eels | Mon, Jun 9 | 4:00 pm | Accor Stadium |
15 | Rabbitohs | Sun, Jun 15 | 4:05 pm | Accor Stadium |
16 | Bye | |||
17 | Panthers | Thu, Jun 26 | 7:50 pm | CommBank Stadium |
18 | Broncos | Fri, Jul 4 | 8:00 pm | Accor Stadium |
19 | Cowboys | Sat, Jul 12 | 7:35 pm | Queensland Country Bank Stadium |
20 | Dragons | Sat, Jul 19 | 5:30 pm | Accor Stadium |
21 | Sea Eagles | Sun, Jul 27 | 4:05 pm | TBA |
22 | Wests Tigers | Sun, Aug 3 | 2:00 pm | CommBank Stadium |
23 | Warriors | Sat, Aug 9 | 7:35 pm | Accor Stadium |
24 | Roosters | Fri, Aug 15 | 8:00 pm | Allianz Stadium |
25 | Storm | Fri, Aug 22 | 8:00 pm | AAMI Park |
26 | Panthers | Thu, Aug 28 | 7:50 pm | Accor Stadium |
27 | Sharks | Sat, Sep 6 | 7:35 pm | Accor Stadium |