Momentum is everything when a team is building towards a run to the finals. The trouble is it can be snapped within weeks.
While some draws are far easier than others, each team will endure a tough stretch of fixtures over the course of the regular season that could define their finals or premiership hopes.
Here's where your club will be most tested in the year.
Each NRL club's danger period in the 2023 draw
Brisbane Broncos
Rounds 8-12: Eels [A], Rabbitohs [H], Sea Eagles [A], Storm [A], Panthers [H]
This run of games speaks for itself.
All the above sides are strong top four contenders (bar the Sea Eagles), so this will be a stiff test for Kevin Walters’ side.
They will start the period with a clash against the Eels, who hold an exceptional record at home.
The Rabbitohs are up next, before a trip to what will likely be a raucous Brookvale Oval atmosphere.
Even if the Storm have lost some key personnel this season, a game in Melbourne is never easy.
Finally, the Broncos will face the reigning premiers in the Panthers, but the home-ground advantage should give them some hope.
MORE: Brisbane Broncos season preview
Canberra Raiders
Rounds 24-27: Storm [A], Bulldogs [H], Broncos [H], Sharks [A]
Canberra has a relatively smooth draw, facing the Panthers, Eels, Cowboys and Roosters just once while meeting the Dolphins, Warriors and Knights twice.
Last year they came home with a wet sail to scrape into the eight but will be hoping they won't have to do so again in 2023.
In round 24, they travel to Melbourne to take on the Storm before hosting the Bulldogs and Broncos who will also likely be fighting for a spot in the finals. Their regular season reaching its conclusion with an away trip to the Sharks.
MORE: Canberra Raiders season preview
Canterbury Bulldogs
Rounds 5-8: Cowboys [H], Rabbitohs [H], Eels [A], Sharks [H]
After starting the 2023 season with some very winnable games, this is going to be a tough four-week stretch for the Bulldogs and a real test of their top-eight credentials.
In Round 5 and 6, Canterbury will be at home at Accor Stadium but will be facing take on two sides who made the prelim finals last year in North Queensland and South Sydney back-to-back.
The following weekend will pit the Dogs up against old rivals Parramatta away, before a tough assignment at home against Cronulla in Round 8.
If they can escape with two wins from these four games, that will put Canterbury in a good spot heading into the middle of the year.
MORE: Canterbury Bulldogs season preview
Cronulla Sharks
Rounds 22 - 26: Panthers [A], Rabbitohs [A], Titans [H], Cowboys [A], Knights [A]
The Sharks will be cashing in their frequent flyer points after heading from Penrith to Perth (against the Rabbitohs), back home to Cronulla to play the Titans, then to Townsville before finishing up in Newcastle.
The club conceivably lose four of six and slide drastically down the ladder.
MORE: Cronulla Sharks season preview
Dolphins
Rounds 1-5: Roosters [H], Raiders [H], Knights [A], Broncos [H], Dragons [A]
The Dolphins are entering a difficult market and will want to make a statement early to legitimise their introduction into the competition.
First up, they face a tough challenge in the Roosters, and while most will be tipping a loss, if they can give their fans reason to get excited about the season ahead, they’ll be doing alright.
Then comes a run of games in which they’ll be desperate to get a win or two - Raiders, Knights, Broncos and Dragons.
You can bet Bennett will have circled round four against Brisbane at Suncorp in his calendar, hoping to make a statement against his former club and announce the Dolphins to competition.
Alternatively, a 0-5 start won’t have potential new fans rushing out to buy memberships.
MORE: Dolphins season preview
Gold Coast Titans
Rounds 24-27: Sharks [A], Panthers [H], Storm [A], Bulldogs [H]
The Titans will need to amass as many points as possible early in the season, with a difficult run home awaiting them.
They will head to a raucous Shark Park in Round 24 before facing the reigning premiers the following week.
A trip to the ever-consistent Storm will mark their penultimate match of the season before a Round 27 clash with a young Bulldogs side.
If the Titans find themselves pushing for finals this year, this four-match stretch could make or break their season.
MORE: Gold Coast Titans season preview
Manly Sea Eagles
Rounds 1 - 7: Bulldogs [H], Bye, Eels [H], Bunnies [A], Knights [H], Panthers [A], Storm [H]
Talk about a baptism of fire. Seibold has been handed a tough initiation as he attempts to rectify a club which slipped into disarray last season.
They begin the year hosting the Bulldogs with no real grasp on how that newly assembled side will play.
After their bye in the second round, they then embark on a horror run of fixtures which could set the tone for the campaign ahead.
Parramatta, South Sydney, Penrith and Melbourne all come in a glut with Newcastle also thrown in for good measure.
The former Broncos mentor may already be feeling the pressure come round eight if the Sea Eagles have got off to a shaky start under his watch.
MORE: Manly Sea Eagles season preview
Melbourne Storm
Rounds 20-24: Roosters [A], Knights [A], Eels [H], Panthers [A], Raiders [H]
While you can never write off a Storm outfit that is coached by Craig Bellamy and possesses a plethora of big stars, this run towards the back-end of the season will be crucial to where they finish on the ladder.
Starting with a tough away trip against the Roosters in Round 20, Melbourne will get a short relief when they take on a Newcastle side that are expected to struggle a week later.
But the following three rounds are nasty - Parramatta at home won't be an easy task, before having to travel away to the reigning premiers at Penrith in Round 23.
To finish their toughest stretch of the year, the Storm will take on their bogey side the Raiders at AAMI Park, before finishing the campaign with some easier assignments.
MORE: Melbourne Storm season preview
New Zealand Warriors
Rounds 7-11: Cowboys [H], Storm [A], Roosters [H], Panthers [Magic Round], Bulldogs [A]
The Warriors’ run into their first bye of the season is enough to have Webster waking up in a cold sweat.
Taking on two of last year’s top four, including the reigning premiers, as well as two of competition’s modern powerhouses, the Warriors will know exactly the level they need to get to if they’re to challenge for success any time soon.
The positive is that this run comes nearly two months into the regular season, giving the new-look team time to find a bit of chemistry and hopefully chalk up a few wins.
Conversely, for the glass half-empty types, if the Warriors are already chasing their tails before they face the Cowboys in round seven, things are unlikely to improve over the following month.
MORE: New Zealand Warriors season preview
Newcastle Knights
Rounds 7-10: Panthers [H], Cowboys [A], Eels [A]
With the Knights drawing the short straw and missing out on Magic Round, they’ll likely be coming off three straight losses as they head into a week off.
Depending on how the Knights perform against three of the NRL’s premiership contenders, this period could bolster their resolve and see the Novacastrians be a danger team for top eight sides in the second half or the season - or an early nail in the coffin for season 2023.
MORE: Newcastle Knights season preview
North Queensland Cowboys
Rounds 13-17: Eels [A], Storm [H], BYE, Panthers [H], Rabbitohs [A]
The Cowboys will face a demanding run of games in the middle of the season, beginning with a trip to the 2022 grand finalists the Parramatta Eels. Brad Arthur's side have lost a number of key players, but CommBank Stadium is never an easy place to play.
They will then look to replicate last year's stunning win over Melbourne when the Storm head up north.
A bye will follow before the Cowboys host the reigning premiers the Panthers, followed by an away match against the Rabbitohs.
It is also worth noting that these games will take place during the Origin period, so there could be significant losses to the Cowboys' side and their opponents.
MORE: North Queensland Cowboys season preview
Parramatta Eels
Rounds 21-26: Cowboys [A], Storm [A], Dragons [H], Broncos [A], Roosters [H], Panthers [A]
Parramatta will start the season with some tough assignments, but it will be their run home that could cause them a major headache come finals time.
In the final six rounds, the Eels will take on four opponents from the top-eight last year, with three of those clashes coming away from home.
In Round 21, the side will take on the Cowboys up in Townsville, before heading down to Melbourne the following week against the Storm.
A slight reprieve against a Dragons side that is expected to struggle will only last one week, with their final three games including two away clashes against Brisbane and Penrith, as well as a match at CommBank Stadium against the highly-fancied Roosters.
Parramatta are going to need to be on their A-game if they are to secure a strong finish to the season with that incredibly tough run-home.
MORE: Parramatta Eels season preview
Penrith Panthers
Rounds 1-5: Broncos[H], Rabbitohs[H], Bye, Eels[A], Raiders[A]
It's a tough opening start for the premiers with Parramatta and South Sydney within the first month.
The Broncos should also pose a threat in the opening fixture as the Panthers adjust to their new normal, while Canberra's big pack should ensure a physical contest in round five.
They have a bye three weeks into the season which may offer a welcome early breather or serve to disrupt any momentum they have managed to create.
MORE: Penrith Panthers season preview
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Rounds 1-5: Sharks[A], Panthers[A], Roosters[A], Sea Eagles[H], Storm[H]
The Bunnies have one of the toughest opening periods of the season, starting their campaign with three consecutive away games against fellow top four hopefuls Cronulla, Penrith and the Roosters.
They got off to a slow start last season that left them behind the eight ball and when they were crushed in Wollongong by the Dragons in round 15, many were left wondering if they were about to capitulate.
To their credit, they rallied and strung together four-straight wins in response before finishing the regular season with three victories and two losses.
Souths will want to avoid placing the same pressure on themselves this time around.
MORE: South Sydney Rabbitohs season preview
St George Illawarra Dragons
Rounds 11-15: Cowboys [A], Roosters [H], Dolphins [A], Panthers [A], Rabbitohs [H]
St George Illawarra start the season rather favourably, with some easier games and a bye to open the year.
But it will be the middle of the campaign that could make or break the Dragons finals chances, with a difficult five-week stretch leading into their mid-season bye.
Starting with a tough away trip against the Cowboys in Round 11, the side will be forced to back up the following week against the highly-fancied Roosters at Kogarah Oval.
An away trip to Redcliffe to take on the Dolphins could act as a slight reprieve, but it will only be short-lived before a trip to Penrith to take on the reigning premiers. To finish their danger period, St George will face old rivals South Sydney at home.
This period is going to be a major indicator of where the Red V are at this year - if they can manage to escape with two or three wins from these five games, it could set them up nicely on the run-home.
MORE: St George Illawarra Dragons season preview
Sydney Roosters
Rounds 3-8: Rabbitohs [H], Bye, Eels [H], Storm [A], Sharks [A], Dragons [H]
Under Trent Robinson the Roosters have become known as a team which comes into their own in the post-Origin period, but can be vulnerable early in the season.
They can’t afford a slow start in 2023 with a host of big games coming early in the year.
In round three, they face arch-rivals South Sydney, a team which has beaten them in five out of their past six meetings, including last year’s spiteful finals encounter.
They can catch their breath with a bye before they come up against the Eels, followed by away trips to Melbourne and Cronulla ahead of the Anzac Day clash with the Dragons, a match which recent form or ladder position has mattered little for in recent years.
If the Roosters can come through that run with three wins out of five, they ought to be pretty happy.
MORE: Sydney Roosters season preview
Wests Tigers
Rounds 3-6: Bulldogs [A], Storm [A], Broncos [A], Eels [H]
There are never any easy games in the NRL - especially coming off a wooden spoon season - but the Tigers are lucky with their draw that there are no extended periods against the elite sides.
The trickiest period for Wests will come quite early in 2023, when they face a tough four-week stretch prior to having the bye in Round 7.
First-up, the Tigers will have to take on the Bulldogs at their spiritual home of Belmore Oval, in what promises to be a fantastic encounter between the two of the potential big improvers.
After that, two games in a row on the road against Melbourne and Broncos will be a great indication of where the Tigers are at, especially given both those sides are expected to challenge for the title this year
The danger period for the Tigers finishes against local rivals Parramatta in the traditional Easter Monday clash, in what promises to be a massive crowd for the two passionate clubs.
If they can escape this difficult stretch with two wins and an extra two points for the bye, Tim Sheens will be a happy man come the end of April.
MORE: Wests Tigers season preview
