The off-season may have just officially started, but rugby league fans are already looking towards 2025.
The highly anticipated NRL draw has just dropped, meaning fans of every team are now mapping out their calendars, booking their trips and getting in their predictions.
I'll leave the strength of draw breakdowns to others, instead today focusing on playing hype man.
As a lover of the greatest game of all, all (almost) rugby league fixtures are must-watch. That said, some stand out above the rest.
Obviously this is an opinion piece and not a prediction on the ten best games for next year. Let us know which games you are most looking forward to.
Below are the top 10 fixtures to look forward to in 2025:
3Cronulla Sharks vs Melbourne Storm (Round 11)
As a Sharks fan, I always circle the games vs the Dragons, Manly and the Storm. The first two are local rivals but the Sharks/Storm rivalry is very real.
The Storm smashed the Sharks in the Finals last year, returning serve on the upset of the season. No one will soon forget the 2016 Grand Final.
Both teams are seen as 2025 heavyweights. The Sharks have added Addin Fonua-Blake, meaning they look as though they can finally match the Storm in the middle.
Both teams should have players in the Origin discussion, so Round 11 is a perfect time to see these two rivals clash!
Bronx v Bunnies for me. Which of the underperformers will come good ? Unfortunately, round 10 is a bit late. We should have found out before then which is a pretender and which is a contender.