A truly equitable draw is an impossibility in the NRL.
With 17 teams and 24 games, there will always be a handful of teams who scream blue murder, and those who dance in the streets.
Of course, what looks like an easy draw at this time of year can shift rapidly once the first ball is kicked, but for now, the best way to determine who has the easiest and hardest draw is simple old mathematics.
And Zero Tackle have run the numbers so you don't have to.
A sliding scale has been used, awarding 17 points to play last year's minor premiers - the Penrith Panthers, 16 to play the second-placed finishers on the ladder and so on, all the way down to the last-placed Wests Tigers who attract just one point.
A team's scores are then added together to spit out a total, which is used to rank the teams draw.
Where a tie-breaker is needed, the team with the more games against last year's top eight has been judged to have the tougher draw.
The Cronulla Sharks have had one of the easiest draws over the last couple of years, but are at the wrong end of this tally for 2025.
17. Canberra Raiders - 193 points
Matches against last year's top eight: 10
The Raiders have been ranked as having the easiest draw for 2025 - and by quite a distance. Their double up list features plenty of teams at the wrong end of the 2024 ladder, while they avoid the Panthers, Storm, Roosters and Sharks twice.
16. Newcastle Knights - 203 points
Matches against last year's top eight: 9
It's quite a jump from the easiest draw to the second-easiest draw, which belongs to the Knights. They face the Tigers, Titans and Eels from the bottom of lastg year's ladder, and avoid the Storm and Roosters twice.
15. New Zealand Warriors - 204 points
Matches against last year's top eight: 10
The Warriors draw - no matter what the points system says - is never straightforward given their trips back and forth across the Tasman each week.
They do avoid last year's top four twice though in a boost.
14. Canterbury Bulldogs - 208 points
Matches against last year's top eight: 10
The Bulldogs will be hollering about their draw as they look to continue improving. They avoid the Storm and Panthers twice, and while they do play the Sharks and Roosters, the only other double-up from last year's top eight is the Knights, while they avoid the Rabbitohs and Broncos twice who could be dangerous.
13. The Dolphins - 209 points
Matches against last year's top eight: 11
The Dolphins, as is the expectation, face all of the Queensland side and the Storm twice, but avoid the Sharks, Panthers and Roosters a second time. It leaves them at the right end of this ranking.
12. Penrith Panthers - 210 points
Matches against last year's top eight: 12
The premiers will always have an 'easier' points tally given they can't play themselves. That said, the Panthers do face most of last year's top eight twice.
11. Manly Sea Eagles - 211 points
Matches against last year's top eight: 10
The Sea Eagles have again received a simpler draw than the average, but do have to battle the Panthers and Roosters twice.
10. Gold Coast Titans - 213 points
Matches against last year's top eight: 11
The Titans have just three teams from last year's top eight on their double-up list, with that being the Cowboys, Sharks and Knights. They avoid the Roosters, Panthers and Storm twice, but also maybe more importantly avoid the Rabbitohs and Eels twice.
9. Melbourne Storm - 216 points
Matches against last year's top eight: 12
The Storm sit just outside the top eight half of draw difficulty, and play five of last year's top eight twice. They do avoid playing the Sharks twice, but will face the Rabbitohs, Eels and Broncos twice from the bottom eight.
8. North Queensland Cowboys - 217 points
Matches against last year's top eight: 11
The first tie under this ranking system, the Cowboys will face all of the Queensland teams twice which helps their plight under this system, but also have the Panthers and Sharks twice which does not.
7. St George Illawarra Dragons - 217 points
Matches against last year's top eight: 12
The Dragons had one of the more comfortable draws last year both in terms of double-ups and travel. That is not the case this year as they head into the top half difficulty-wise, with double-ups against the Sharks, Panthers and Roosters to headline their first campaign without Ben Hunt.
6. Sydney Roosters - 220 points
Matches against last year's top eight: 11
The Roosters are without two stars for half the year, and have been done no favours by the draw. They do avoid the Panthers twice, but have to play the Storm - a team they have struggled wildly against - as well as some of the more dangerous bottom-eight sides in the Eels, Broncos and Rabbitohs.
4. Brisbane Broncos - 223 points
Matches against last year's top eight: 12
The second tie on this rankings system, and the one not able to be split by a tie-breaker features the Broncos and Tigers. Brisbane take on the Storm and Panthers twice, but do avoid the Sharks. They also face the Rabbitohs, Dolphins and Eels, with some of their 'easier' double-ups no sure thing as they look to improve under Michael Maguire.
4. Wests Tigers - 223 points
Matches against last year's top eight: 12
The poor old Tigers just can't take a trick can they? Multiple wooden spoons in a row, then a tough draw. It has to be said they can't play themselves so the wooden spooners always come out looking worse in this equation, but they still play half of last year's top eight twice, but do avoid the Panthers and Storm.
3. Cronulla Sharks - 226 points
Matches against last year's top eight: 13
After years of being given an armchair ride, the proverbial joke that has become the Sharks' draw finally comes to an end. Instead, they will play five of last year's top eight twice and face the competition's third-hardest run.
2. Parramatta Eels - 233 points
Matches against last year's top eight: 13
The Eels had a difficult 2024, and face a tough 2025 too as they begin life under Jason Ryles. They face both grand finalists twice and the Sharks, as well as some of the tougher likely bottom eight opposition in the Broncos and Dolphins as part of their double-ups.
1. South Sydney Rabbitohs - 246 points
Matches against last year's top eight: 13
The Rabbitohs have been ranked with the toughest draw in 2025. After struggling through 2024, Wayne Bennett's task is to beat five teams out of last year's top eight twice, including both grand finalists and all of the top four.
It's not even close when it comes to who got the rough end of the stick.
