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The Benji Marshall era at the Wests Tigers won\u2019t begin until the second week of the competition with the back-to-back wooden-spooners set to be handed the bye in the opening round of the NRL season.<\/p>\n
The NRL is putting the finishing touches on the draw in preparation for a release on Monday. This masthead has obtained what is likely to be the round one schedule, beginning with a landmark double-header in Las Vegas.<\/p>\n
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The opening round of the NRL season has been revealed.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n Penrith will begin their title defence against Melbourne two weeks after a potential World Club Challenge campaign against Super League champions Wigan Warriors. The Panthers are expected to be the main game on Channel Nine on Friday night.<\/p>\n Shane Flanagan\u2019s era at the Dragons will begin with an away trip to Queensland to take on fellow returning coach Des Hasler and his Gold Coast Titans.<\/p>\n The Parramatta Eels will play home to the new-look Canterbury Bulldogs on Saturday evening at CommBank Stadium in what could be Stephen Crichton\u2019s first game for his new club.<\/p>\n The Knights will take on the Raiders in Thursday night footy, with the Warriors to take on the Sharks in the early game on Friday night.<\/p>\n The round will close out with the Dolphins hosting the North Queensland Cowboys in an all-Queensland affair at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\n The round will be split across two weeks with the Rabbitohs and Sea Eagles to open the season in Las Vegas, with the Broncos and Roosters to square off in the second game of the double-header at Allegiant Stadium on March 2 (March 3 in Australia).<\/p>\n The four teams involved in Las Vegas will square off against each other over the opening three rounds of the season to provide consistency and balance to the draw.<\/p>\n The Rabbitohs will play against the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium in round two before taking on arch rivals the Sydney Roosters at Allianz Stadium in round three. The Sea Eagles will play the Roosters in round two and the Broncos in round three.<\/p>\n Penrith may skip the pre-season challenge in favour of facing Wigan in England.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n The Panthers, meanwhile, are open to missing the pre-season challenge \u2013 and forgoing a potential $100,000 in prizemoney \u2013 if it makes it easier to travel to England for the World Club Challenge.<\/p>\n The NRL is expected to announce their pre-season challenge draw as early as Friday, but Penrith officials confirmed they were unsure how their early season schedule would look.<\/p>\n Should they play against Wigan on February 24, they are happy to be excluded from the second edition of the pre-season tournament.<\/p>\n \u201cIf the World Club Challenge comes to fruition, we\u2019re happy not to play a trial,\u201d Panthers CEO Matt Cameron said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re working with Wigan, NRL and Super League are in dialogue at the moment about the game, and we\u2019re working on the premise we\u2019ll be heading there.<\/p>\n \u201cOur players who do not travel over will need a gamer but whether that\u2019s an actual trial I\u2019m not sure.\u201d<\/p>\n Las Vegas-bound South Sydney and Manly will play a Sunday afternoon trial on February 11 on the Central Coast, six days before the Bunnies and St George Illawarra meet in the Charity Shield at Kogarah.<\/p>\n Parramatta and Canberra will play in the Charity Shield curtain-raiser. Canterbury host Melbourne on a Thursday night at Belmore in week one of the pre-season challenge. Clubs have been informed the Indigenous All Stars and Maori All Stars fixture will be held on February 16, a Friday night.<\/p>\n Sports news, results and expert commentary.<\/i><\/b> Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\nExpected round one schedule<\/h3>\n
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