Arthur Stanley
AN #EasterFootyFest featuring a Grand Final rematch between the Rabbitohs and Bulldogs on Good Friday and Eels v Tigers on Easter Monday, two monster match-ups in Round 2, with back-to-back Rabbitohs Sunday afternoon games in Rounds 2 and 3.
The NRL’s much-awaited draw announcement today has lined up a string of Sydney v Sydney blockbusters in the first six weeks at Stadium Australia – a boon for NRL club Members, Stadium Australia Members and general sports fans.
The action starts at Sydney’s Olympic venue in Round 2 with a super weekend double – Bulldogs v Eels on Friday 13 March and Rabbitohs v Roosters on Sunday 15 March.
That rolls into another Sunday afternoon classic featuring reigning NRL premiers the Rabbitohs against the Wests Tigers on 22 March, with reciprocal rights for Members of both clubs.
The reciprocal rights arrangement will be in place for a Round 4 Bulldogs v Tigers classic on Friday 27 March.
And then all eyes in rugby league will zero in on a spectacular Easter weekend of NRL action, with the Grand Final rematch between NRL home clubs the Rabbitohs and the Bulldogs, followed by a western Sydney derby between the Tigers and the Eels on Easter Monday.
More than 100,000 NRL fans are expected to converge on Stadium Australia for the back-to-back Easter blockbusters, which will coincide with the Sydney Royal Easter Show.
The highlight of the rugby league season will be upon fans before they know it, when Laurie Daley’s NSW Blues line up to defend their State of Origin title against a desperate Queensland Maroons team in Game I of the 2015 Origin series – at Stadium Australia on Wednesday 27 May.
Another feature game of the 2015 NRL calendar will be staged on the Monday of the June long weekend (8 June) – with Bulldogs v Dragons sure to draw a huge crowd.
The complete 2015 NRL draw can be found at www.nrl.com
