RUGBY LEAGUE
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The release of the full 2015 NRL draw produced a mixed bag for Dragons fans on Monday, with Wollongong hosting the Sea Eagles, Raiders, Cowboys and Panthers next year.
The Dragons will play five Monday night games in the opening 15 rounds of the competition, including their March 9 season opener against Melbourne at Jubilee Oval, the first time in over a decade that the club has opened its season at Kogarah.
Only the Cowboys and Storm have been allocated more Monday night fixtures with six each.
The Dragons will need to tread a tough path to reach the finals for the first time in four years after being handed home-and-away matches with the four competition favourites - the Rabbitohs, Roosters, Bulldogs and Broncos - as well as perennial premiership contenders Melbourne.
They will host the Broncos at Kogarah in round seven in their only Friday night match, while a continuation of the club's big venues policy - which saw Wollongong lose two games in 2014 - will see them host competition heavyweights the Bulldogs (ANZ Stadium) in round six and the Roosters (Allianz Stadium) in round 15 at their respective home venues.
The Dragons' traditional clash with the Roosters will take pride of place with a 4pm timeslot in the NRL's packed five-game Anzac Day schedule. The Dragons will also host the Rabbitohs at the SCG in round 19 and the Tigers at ANZ Stadium in round 26.
Dragons chief executive Peter Doust said the decision to continue to play four home games at larger Sydney venues - dubbed the 'Right Game Right Venue' strategy - would allow the club to accommodate more fans at its marquee clashes.
"Delivering an outcome that meets everyone's expectations is difficult, but we believe we have scheduled appropriate balance across our season and venues, given all the variables, including venue availability," Doust said.
"Our decision to support the Whole of Game Strategy through Right Game Right Venue in 2014 saw our overall crowd average increase from 12,000 to 16,000, with all four games at the major venues attracting larger crowds than what we would have been able to accommodate in our suburban venues. Continuing to develop these marquee events is important to the growth and long-term future of the Dragons."
Coach Paul McGregor said the round-one Monday night fixture was a blessing given the Dragons will end their preseason with a trip to the UK to take on Warrington on February 20 as part of the new World Club Series format.
"It's a really good build-up to the first round if you look at the Nines, the Charity Shield, then the game in England. Fortunately enough [round one] is a Monday night which is good for us to get that extra time recovery post an overseas trip," McGregor said.
"I know the Dragons went away after they won the premiership [in 2010] and came back and won the first eight or 10 rounds, so there's no excuses there and there'll be no excuses in 2015."