THE Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and South Sydney Rabbitohs will each play eight home games at Accor Stadium in a huge season of the club footy in 2023, while a potential series-deciding State of Origin Game 3 has been confirmed for the NSW Blues on Wednesday 12 July.
Among the many highlights of the 2023 NRL Draw released on Thursday:
- Home clubs the Bulldogs and Rabbitohs will square off in a blockbuster Good Friday clash at Accor Stadium in Round 6 on 7 April;
- The Easter weekend promises to be a rugby league extravaganza with Wests Tigers hosting Western Sydney rivals the Parramatta Eels at Accor Stadium on Easter Monday, 10 April;
- The Rabbitohs will play their first three games away from home before back-to-back matches at Accor Stadium in Rounds 4-5 against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles on Saturday 25 March (7:35pm) and the Melbourne Storm on Friday 31 March (8pm);
- The Bulldogs will also play their first home game at Accor Stadium against the Cowboys on Sunday 2 April (6:15pm).
See the full 2023 NRL Draw here
The Easter footy fest at Sydney Olympic Park will run in conjunction with the 2023 Sydney Royal Easter Show and traditionally draws two of the highest Sydney NRL attendances of the season.
The resurgent Bulldogs will host the Parramatta Eels at Accor Stadium on the King’s Birthday Monday in Round 15 on 12 June.
The Rabbitohs will get their opportunity to host the Bulldogs at Accor Stadium in Round 19 on Saturday 8 July (7:35pm).
While great rivals the Rabbitohs and Roosters will play each other at Allianz Stadium in Round 3, Rabbitohs fans will be circling Friday 1 September for a massive Rabbitohs v Roosters final round (Round 27) clash at Accor Stadium.
The home ground advantage could be huge for the NSW Blues with State of Origin Game 3 on Wednesday 12 July at Accor Stadium following Origin 1 at Adelaide Oval (Wednesday 31 May) and Origin 2 at Suncorp Stadium (Wednesday 21 June).