NRL 2025 fixture analysis: Parramatta Eels

The Parramatta Eels had a horrid 2024, and things aren't about to get any easier for rookie head coach Jason Ryles, with his side facing what has been ranked as the second toughest draw for 2025.

Here is everything you need to know for the men in blue and gold's fixture list in 2025.

Teams to play twice
Melbourne Storm (Round 1, 22), Wests Tigers (Round 2, 6), Canterbury Bulldogs (Round 3, 14), Manly Sea Eagles (Round 4, 12), St George Illawarra Dragons (Round 5, 17), Canberra Raiders (Round 6, 20), Newcastle Knights (Round 11, 27), Penrith Panthers (Round 13, 19)

The Eels have been dealt a doozy of a double up list if you base it purely off last year's ladder.

They clash with the Storm and Panthers twice, and also have to play the Bulldogs, Sea Eagles and Knights out of last year's top eight.

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From the bottom half of the table, they play the likely to improve Tigers twice, as well as the Dragons and Raiders.

Travel schedule
The Eels have what has been rated as the third easiest travel run for 2025 in a boost.

They only face five flights out of Sydney, and while one of them is to Darwin, the others are to Melbourne, Brisbane twice and once to Auckland in Round 26.

Their flights are separated relatively well through the season and they don't leave the Sydney basin during the State of Origin period.

Turnaround times
The teams they play might be at the tougher end of the list of teams for Parramatta, but they don't face a single five-day turnaround during 2025 in what will act as another boost to the side.

Parramatta do face an above average eight six-day turnarounds, with three coming back to back in Rounds 20 through to 22.

In fact, they have five six-day turnarounds in the final eight rounds, reset by a single ten-day and another nine-day turnaround, making it a tricky finish to the year for Parramatta.

Start of the season
The Eels start their 2025 campaign with one of the NRL's toughest assignments - a trip to Melbourne where they clash with the Storm who simply do not lose in Round 1.

The Tigers are next at home, then will come the Bulldogs and Sea Eagles in a pair of challenges.

The Dragons and Raiders present potentially unknown quantities in Rounds 5 and 6, with the Dragons game in particular seeing Clint Gutherson return home for the first time.

It's a tough start to the year for Parramatta - there are no two ways about it.

The Origin period
The Origin period will see the Eels have byes before Games 2 and 3, while they host Manly without Origin players before Game 1.

Their back ups from Origin will see them play the Panthers after Game 1 and 3 with plenty of players off a short turnaround, and the Titans at home in Game 2.

It's not a bad time of year to play the Panthers, but it may only serve to heap extra pressure on Ryles and his team to secure some wins.

The run home
The Eels face a mixed run to the finish line in 2025.

The Storm and Cowboys at home in Round 22 and 23 will be difficult, before they face the Rabbitohs and Roosters in the following two weeks.

They have to travel to Auckland to face the Warriors in Round 26, then end their season with the Knights at home in Round 27.

Toughest stretch
The aforementioned block of three six-day turnarounds for Parramatta comes in the middle of a tough run of games as well.

Round 19 will see them clash with the Panthers on the back of Origin 3, before the first of their six-day turnarounds features a trip to Canberra.

They then travel to Brisbane off a six-day gap, before facing the Storm off another, then they host the Cowboys in Round 23.

Easiest stretch
It's tough to pinpoint an easy stretch of Parramatta's schedule for 2025, and that doesn't exactly arrive as a surprise given their overall fixture list.

It's likely the run between Rounds 5 and 7 though, with the Dragons, Raiders and Tigers on the agenda leading into their first bye of the season. They then face the Sharks, before playing the Dolphins and Knights in Rounds 10 and 11.

It's fair to say they are going to need to make plenty of posts a winner in that run of games.

Games to watch
Round 1, vs Melbourne Storm, at AAMI Park, Sun, Mar 9, 4:05pm
Round 3, vs Canterbury Bulldogs, at CommBank Stadium, Sun, Mar 23, 4:05pm
Round 5, vs St George Illawarra Dragons, at CommBank Stadium, Sat, Apr 5, 3pm
Round 13, vs Penrith Panthers, at CommBank Stadium, Sun, Jul 1, 4:05pm
Round 25, vs Sydney Roosters, at CommBank Stadium, Sat, Aug 23, 7:35pm

The must-win games
Round 2, vs Wests Tigers, at CommBank Stadium, Sun, Mar 16, 4:05pm
Round 5, vs St George Illawarra Dragons, at CommBank Stadium, Sat, Apr 5, 3pm
Round 10, vs The Dolphins, at CommBank Stadium, Thu, May 8, 7:50pm
Round 25, vs Sydney Roosters, at CommBank Stadium, Sat, Aug 23, 7:35pm
Round 27, vs Newcastle Knights, at CommBank Stadium, Sun, Sep 7, 4:05pm

Full fixtures