You can't win a competition in March but you can go a long way towards giving yourself a legitimate title shot by bouncing out of the blocks.
From the opening weekend in Las Vegas where the Bulldogs, Dragons, Knights and Cowboys get a chance to show their wares, all the way to the Raiders-Sharks blockbuster to finish Round 4, the first month of action in the 2026 premiership will tell us plenty.
After four rounds of the 2025 season it was the Bulldogs sitting pretty at 4-0, laying the perfect platform for a campaign that would see them finish third after the regular season.
Also off to a flyer were the Sea Eagles and eventual premiers Brisbane, both with three wins out if four, while the Storm also had six competition points courtesy of two wins and a bye.
The Raiders sat 12th with two wins and two losses while the Panthers went 1-3 to start the season and sat 13th after Round 4.
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A hot start for the Dogs
The Green Machine went on to win 17 of its next 20 matches to collect the club's second minor premiership before losing to the Broncos and Sharks to bow out of the finals in straight sets.
If Cameron Ciraldo's Dogs are to fly the lids in 2026 they will need to handle the travel to Vegas in Round 1 to face the Dragons before a bye in Round 2 to get over the trip. They then face a daunting challenge against the Raiders in Canberra before hosting the Knights at Accor Stadium in Round 4.
The Dragons and Knights games are eminently winnable and if they pass the big test in Canberra then the blue and whites could be sitting pretty early.
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Four for new dad Garrick
Among other sides dealt a good hand in the opening four rounds are the Sea Eagles, who have three home games at 4 Pines Park and a bye.
With new playmaker Jamal Fogarty at the helm, Manly welcome the Raiders and Knights to Sydney's northern beaches in Rounds 1 and 2 before a bye in Round 3 and a bumper Thursday night clash against the Roosters to open Round 4.
Home ground advantage in the opening month also sits with the Warriors, who open their 2026 campaign against the Roosters at Go Media Stadium before a Round 2 meeting with the Raiders in Auckland.
In Round 3 they head to Newcastle to face the Knights before Wests Tigers venture to Go Media in Round 4.
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Warriors v Wests Tigers – Round 19, 2025
Wests Tigers haven't tasted victory at the Warriors' home ground since 2016 so Andrew Webster's men will go in as the hottest of favourites.
Renowned fast starters Melbourne put their outrageous Round 1 record on the line against the Eels at AAMI Park on March 5 before taking on the Dragons in Wollongong and the Broncos at AAMI Park in Round 3.
The 2025 runners-up round out the first month of the premiership with a trek north to tackle the Cowboys. Having won 17 of 26 matches in Townsville since 1998 the Storm will have no trepidation about the heat and humidity in FNQ.
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Hit Refresh! The Titans 2026 Draw is out!
The ides of March
Every club's opening month of the 2026 season
BroncosPanthers (h)
Eels (h)
Storm (a)
Dolphins (h)
Bulldogs
Dragons (Las Vegas)
Bye
Raiders (a)
Knights (h)
Cowboys
Knights (Las Vegas)
Wests Tigers (a)
Titans (h)
Storm (h)
Dolphins
Rabbitohs (h)
Titans (h)
Sharks (a)
Broncos (a)
Dragons
Bulldogs (Las Vegas)
Storm (h)
Eels (a)
Titans (a)
Eels
Storm (a)
Broncos (a)
Dragons (h)
Panthers (h)
Knights
Cowboys (Las Vegas)
Sea Eagles (a)
Warriors (h)
Bulldogs (a)
Panthers
Broncos (a)
Sharks (Bathurst)
Roosters (a)
Eels (h)
Rabbitohs
Dolphins (a)
Roosters (a)
Wests Tigers (Gosford)
Bye
Raiders
Sea Eagles (a)
Warriors (a)
Bulldogs (h)
Sharks (h)
Roosters
Warriors (a)
Rabbitohs (h)
Panthers (h)
Sea Eagles (a)
Sea Eagles
Raiders (h)
Knights (h)
Bye
Roosters (h)
Sharks
Titans (h)
Panthers (Bathurst)
Dolphins (h)
Raiders (a)
Storm
Eels (h)
Dragons (a)
Broncos (h)
Cowboys (a)
Titans
Sharks (a)
Dolphins (a)
Cowboys (a)
Dragons (h)
Warriors
Roosters (h)
Raiders (h)
Knights (a)
Wests Tigers (h)
Wests Tigers
Bye
Cowboys (h)
Rabbitohs (Gosford)
Warriors (a)
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Justin Rodski on the 2026 draw
Predicted table at Round 4, 2026
Storm 8
Bulldogs 8
Sea Eagles 8
Panthers 6
Warriors 6
Broncos 6
Dolphins 4
Sharks 4
Raiders 4
Rabbitohs 4
Wests Tigers 4
Knights 2
Titans 2
Eels 2
Roosters 2
Cowboys 2
Dragons 0