Cronulla Sharks handed brutal NRL draw amid eye-opening Josh Addo-Carr scenario at Parramatta

The Cronulla Sharks have been handed a baptism of fire for the new NRL season after copping what looks to be the hardest draw of all 17 clubs. The Sharks have often been accused of being handed easy draws and brushed off criticism around their favourable fixture list to start to 2024 as they surged to the top of the table. 2025 couldn't be any more different though.

The Sharks not only have to kick off their 2025 season against four-time reigning premiers Penrith in Las Vegas, but they also face a tough road trip to North Queensland to face the Cowboys in round two. If that wasn't bad enough, the Sharks also play 13 games against teams that made the finals this year - more than just about every other club.

In fact, Penrith is the only side out of this year's top-eight that the Sharks don't play twice in 2025. Cronulla's 13 matches against top-eight sides is considerably higher than Newcastle's fixture list, with the Knights only playing nine games against this year's finalists.

South Sydney have also been handed a difficult draw, as the only club asked to face each of last year's top-four sides twice. That will present master coach Wayne Bennett with a massive task as he looks to bring back success to the Rabbitohs after a difficult season in 2024 that saw them languishing in the bottom half of the table all season.

Bennett's return to the Bunnies includes a brutal start to the new campaign, with seven games in a row - between rounds three and nine - coming against sides that played finals footy in 2024. The Rabbitohs - like the Sharks and Parramatta - will have to play 13 times against top-eight sides from this year, making their task of qualifying for the playoffs in 2025 more difficult - at least on paper.

Thursday's official NRL draw brought better news for the likes of Newcastle, the Warriors, Raiders and Titans, all of whom look to have been given the most favourable fixtures. The Knights only play Penrith and Cronulla twice out of last season's top-eight sides, while the Warriors, Raiders and Titans only play each of the top four once.

Josh Addo-Carr could face former club in NRL return game

The draw has also thrown up the mouthwatering prospect of Josh Addo-Carr making his NRL return against the Canterbury Bulldogs side that just axed him. The Parramatta recruit - who missed the Bulldogs' elimination final defeat against Manly in September - will miss the first rounds of the 2025 season as he serves the remainder of a four-game ban that ultimately cost him his job at Canterbury.

Addo-Carr is expected to use the All Stars match to count towards one of the remaining three games in his ban, meaning he would then miss the opening two rounds of the NRL season. But with the Bulldogs drawn to play the Eels in round three, it's thrown up the tantalising prospect of Addo-Carr starting the new chapter of his career at Parramatta with a grudge match against his former club.

The Bulldogs terminated the final year of the winger's contract in late October, leaving the Eels to hand him an NRL lifeline following the departure of winger Maika Sivo. New Parramatta coach Jason Ryles could partner Addo-Carr with fellow Eels recruit Zac Lomax in what has the potential to be a deadly centre-wing partnership in 2025.

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The Storm, Panthers, Dragons and Tigers all have 12 games against 2024 top-eight sides while the Roosters, Cowboys, Dolphins, Broncos and Titans have 11 games, and the Bulldogs, Sea Eagles, Raiders and Warriors have 10 games. The draw will also feature the fewest five-day turnarounds in history (21), with the Bulldogs and the Eels set to enjoy the most games featured on free-to-air TV (14 each).

with agencies