- 26 NRL games at Stadium Australia in season 2016
- Home clubs the Bulldogs, Rabbitohs, Tigers, Eels and Dragons all locked in for key Sydney v Sydney fixtures
- #EasterFootyFest to feature Rabbitohs v Bulldogs on Good Friday and Tigers v Eels on Easter Monday
- Bulldogs and Rabbitohs to each play nine home games at Stadium Australia
Arthur Stanley and Crystelle Cordero
THE South Sydney Rabbitohs will host fellow Stadium Australia home club the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in a hugely-anticipated Good Friday NRL clash as part of a 26-game NRL extravaganza at Sydney Olympic Park in season 2016.
A crowd of 40,523 witnessed an explosive Bulldogs v Rabbitohs Good Friday battle last season and the rivalry will only increase in 2016 with the return of Rabbitohs talisman Sam Burgess to take on fellow Englishman and Bulldogs captain James Graham.
The NRL has officially announced the 2016 draw and the Rabbitohs v Bulldogs game is set down for Round 4 on Good Friday 25 March at 4pm. It is Game 1 of Stadium Australia’s #EasterFootyFest, with Wests Tigers hosting Parramatta Eels in the traditional Easter Monday Battle of the West at the Stadium on 28 March (4pm kickoff).
Stadium Australia will play host to 26 NRL games in total during 2016 with the venue’s five home clubs all locked in for key Sydney v Sydney fixtures.
See the full NRL draw here
The Rabbitohs will play nine home games at Stadium Australia – beginning with a Round 2 clash with the Newcastle Knights on Saturday 12 March (5.30pm kickoff).
The Rabbitohs will open the season with a Round 1 clash against fierce rivals the Sydney Roosters at Moore Park in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, before contesting a Round 6 return clash against the Roosters at Stadium Australia in Greater Sydney on Friday 8 April.
The Bulldogs will also play nine home games at Stadium Australia – with the return fixture against arch-rivals the Rabbitohs scheduled as a Final Round 26 showdown on the first weekend in September.
The Bulldogs’ opening two games are on the road before they commence their home games at Stadium Australia in Round 3 with a Friday night shootout against the Parramatta Eels on 17 March.
Wests Tigers will again play four of their home games at Stadium Australia, including the Easter Monday clash against the Eels but also featuring a Sunday afternoon Round 10 clash against the Bulldogs on 15 May and a Round 14 game against the Rabbitohs on Friday 10 June.
St George Illawarra Dragons will play two home games at Stadium Australia – the bumper Queen’s Birthday holiday June long weekend clash with the Bulldogs on Monday 13 June, and a Sunday afternoon clash with the Tigers in Round 20 on 24 July.
The Parramatta Eels’ two home games are against the Bulldogs on Friday night in Round 10 on 29 April and against the Tigers in Round 21 on the weekend of 28 July to 1 August.
Supporters of all five Stadium Australia home clubs will be entitled to reciprocal Club Membership entry rights to games featuring their team against rival Stadium home club. (Further details to follow).
