With the full NRL draw out for 2026, teams and their fans will have circled dates in their calendars.
Must-win games, key outings, rivalry clashes.
No team is going to win 24 from 24 throughout the course of an NRL season that is wildly tough to predict at the best of times, but clubs will know the key games they must win.
For fans, neutral or supporters, here are the five biggest clashes to watch for each and every NRL side throughout the 2026 season, kicking off in Las Vegas on the first weekend of March and winding itself across Australia and New Zealand over the following six months.
Penrith Panthers
Round 1, vs Brisbane Broncos, at Suncorp Stadium, Friday March 6, 8pm
Round 4, vs Parramatta Eels, at CommBank Stadium, Sydney, Saturday March 28, 5:30pm
Round 5, vs Melbourne Storm, at CommBank Stadium, Sydney, Friday April 3, 8pm
Round 14, vs Wests Tigers, at CommBank Stadium, Sydney, Sunday June 7, 2pm
Round 26, vs Canterbury Bulldogs, at CommBank Stadium, Sydney, Friday August 28, 8pm
It should be no surprise to see Penrith's matches to watch are littered with likely top four opposition.
They play three enormous matches in the first five weeks, against Brisbane, Melbourne, and local rivals Parramatta.
Moving further through the year, their rivalry with the Tigers, despite the joint-venture club's struggles, have come one to watch in recent years.
Round 26 against the Bulldogs also looks a good one.
