TEN must-watch fixtures in the 2026 NRL season

I have done the sums. From the day the draw is released (November 14th) there are 85 days until pre-season rugby league. Thats only 12 weekends of horrible, hot and sweaty, rugby league-less-ness. It may seem like a long, long way away, but with the NRL, NRLW and Pre-Season Cup draws being released, hope is suddenly on the horizon. The mad scramble on Friday morning sent us all into a level of frenzy. Some planned their away trips, others looked for rivalry games. Most proclaimed 2026 was "our season". Every fixture next season is exciting in its own way, but some just stand out above the rest. We've compiled ten such fixtures below. The reasons vary, but they all promise to be hot encounters. Here are ten must watch fixtures for 2026. Brisbane Broncos vs Penrith Panthers, Round 1 The undoubted highlight of the Round One fixtures sees a "rematch" from the 2025 preliminary final. The 2025 Premiers host the 2021/22/23/24 Premiers in what is sure to be a sold out Friday night blockbuster. Reece Walsh lines up against Dylan Edwards in a potential Origin battle while Payne Haas and Pat Carrigan will be opposing Moses Leota and Lindsay Smith. An all rep middle contest! Round 1 is always a bit of a lottery but this a game we, lucky, won't have to wait long to see. Manly Sea Eagles vs Sydney Roosters, Round 4 This was the game many, myself included, scrambled to find as soon as the news started breaking about the 2026 fixtures. Daly Cherry-Evans returns to Brookvale Oval after playing 352 games for the Sea Eagles. He delivered a Premiership for Manly but will return the great villian. Outside of the obvious storyline, the headline act is the Tom Trbojevic vs. James Tedesco clash. Haumole Olakau'atu's battle with Angus Crichton isn't bad either. Being a month in the season, both sides should be fully fit and firing. There's no doubt they plugged this fixture into a marquee spot and for good reason. Melbourne Storm vs Brisbane Broncos, Round 3 It's practically the law to include the "Grand Final rematch" in a list like this. Especially when it comes so early in the season. All week we'll hear about how the Storm are "looking for revenge" even though a Round Three game means about a hundredth of what a Grand Final does. That said, Melbourne vs. Brisbane is always a marquee fixture. The Friday night time slot is perfect. A sell out is assured. Reece Walsh is in town for the first time since breaking Storm hearts back in October. Grant vs. Hunt. Hughes vs Reynolds. Haas vs Utoikamanu. Yes please! South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Canterbury Bulldogs, Round 5 The Good Friday clash has become one of my favourite games of the year. It doesn't matter how either team are travelling, the crowd is always gigantic and the first 20 minutes are unmissable. The Bunnies will be looking to bounce back from a horror 2025 while the Bulldogs are looking to build on their brilliant 2025 season. The potential Origin centres clash between Latrell Mitchell and Stephen Crichton headlines a blockbuster game. The Dolphins vs Gold Coast Titans, Round 2 No one else is going to have this on a "must watch" list but this is one I am salivating for. Sunday evening the Dolphins will host the Titans in what promises to be a game of all out attack. Defence optional! The Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow vs. Keano Kini clash is worth the price of admission alone. The Samoan fullback vs. the Kiwi fullback. Throw in Origin certainties Tom Gilbert and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui clashing, Jayden Campbell taking on Isaiya Katoa in the battle of the halfbacks. Someone invent a time machine and take me to Suncorp Stadium, five minutes before kickoff please. Cronulla Sharks vs St George Illawarra Dragons, Round 13 The local "rivalry" had been reduced to a matter of "Sharks by how many?" in the past five seasons. Clint Gutherson's inspired Red V ran riot against the Sharks at Kogarah in Round 23 of last season. As a Sharks fan, that still stings. The Dragons delivered the Sharks last regular season loss and the only loss they suffered in ten games. Do you know how annoying that is? The Sharks, at home, will be looking to right the wrong, as they see it. The Dragons will be looking to start a streak against their local rivals for the first time in a very long time. Canberra Raiders vs Penrith Panthers, Round 10 This is purely for selfish reasons, but the rematch of that Bathurst all time classic was the first non Shark fixture I went looking for. Canberra's GIO Stadium will provide the backdrop for this Sunday afternoon blockbuster. Weekes vs. Edwards could be a legitimate Origin audition. Yeo vs. Horsburgh is a potential Origin preview. Timoko vs. McLean is a battle of the New Zealand centres. Nothing will ever top that finish in Bathurst in 2025 but the return fixtures is a game that may go very close. Newcastle Knights vs Parramatta Eels, Round 13 Not a traditional rivalry, or perhaps even teams you'd expect to see here. That said, I can't wait for this game! With the greatest of respects to both teams, I can't see a huge number of players backing up from Origin two nights prior. Dylan Brown's first game against his old club will be the talking point all week but I really want to see Iongi vs. Ponga. Fletcher Sharpe and Mitch Moses are two of my favourites. If Moses backs up from Origin, this could be an all time clash, albeit not a direct one. Sydney Roosters vs South Sydney Rabbitohs, Round 2 I am such a sucker for this rivalry. Something about this clash just excites the blood, regardless of where each team is travelling. I've taken the Allianz clash over the Accor Stadium return due to it being in Round Two, and also the romance of Moore Park. Wayne Bennett vs. Trent Robinson is a coaching rivalry worthy of the clash itself. Names on the night should include Tedesco, Mitchell, Walker, Walker, Koloamatangi, Whyte, Wighton, Murray, Nawaqanitawase, Watson. Yup, this is going to be good! Penrith Panthers vs Brisbane Broncos, Round 20 I know this is cheating placing both fixtures between these clubs on the list, but hear me out. This is a long, long time into the future but this game signals the start of the final third of the season. State of Origin will be done, both the Broncos and Panthers will be coming off the post Origin Three bye. This is perfect. A lot can happen between now and mid July but I have no doubt both clubs will be into the Minor Premiership race and this game could ultimately decide it.