Times and broadcast details are yet to be released but it's understood the two clashes won't go head-to-head, with much-hyped recruit LaMelo Ball's first outing in Hawks colours to be played in the afternoon ahead of the NRL's night-time decider.

It's a much friendlier draw than the Hawks have faced in recent seasons, with six of their first 11 games at the Sandpit, while they'll only make the dreaded trip to Perth once all season.

It's part of a revamped draw due to South-East Melbourne's entry into the league that will see 14 fixtures added to a total of 126 games across the season.

Each team will play 28 games, with the Hawks to face the defending champions three times - two of them in Wollongong.

It's a stark contrast to recent seasons that saw the Hawks make two trips to Perth and one to Cairns inside the opening six rounds.

They'll also only face heavyweights Melbourne United three times, two of them in Wollongong, but will play two of three games against the Phoenix at Melbourne Arena.

They'll make two trips to Adelaide, with just one return fixture, while clashes with Brisbane, Sydney, Cairns and New Zealand will be on a four-game home and away basis.

The latter will see Ball go head-to-head with another possible NBA No.1 draft pick in Breakers recruit RJ Hampton four times in a mouth-watering battle between two young-guns.

The Illawarra club has retained it's marquee New Year's Eve fixture, with the Hawks to ring in 2020 in a grudge match against arch-rivals Sydney.

Having kick-started the Indigenous Round initiative of its own bat last season, the club will be hoping the new league-wide round - on a yet to be determined date - will see them in action on their home floor after hosting the Kings in the specially designed strip last December.

The Hawks will take two games to Canberra but the the draw released on Thursday does not yet include a return to the capital after last year's Australia Day clash was played played in oppressive heat at the AIS Arena.

"We saw record attendances and broadcast audiences last season and we hope this will be another record breaking season," NBL CEO Jeremy Loeliger said on the draw's release.