THURSDAY
'Twas seven days before kick off, when all through the NRL house, every club, coach and punter was stirring, now the draw was finally let out.
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Who doesn't love a list of dates and venues?
Rewrite the diary, organise those barbecues and strap in for 18-straight rounds of highly-anticipated footy.
However, not everyone is happy with the new-look schedule as Raiders coach Ricky Stuart takes a fatherly 'I'm not angry, just disappointed' tone in relation to just three free-to-air television games being allocated to last year's grand finalists Canberra.
"I'm not disappointed from a coaching point of view, I'm just disappointed all the hard work our commercial team have done, as well as our members and sponsors, they're not getting the respect they deserve for helping our team who have now shown enough credibility to warrant more football on free-to-air," the Green Machine legend said.
Looks like the Viking clap from October's decider will just have to get replayed over, and over, and over again on Channel Nine.
Meanwhile, the Knights announce that long-time Broncos hooker Andrew McCullough will join Newcastle for the rest of 2020 with first-choice dummy-half Jayden Brailey sidelined because of a season-ending knee injury.
FRIDAY
'Twas six days before kick off, when all through the Rabbitohs warren, plenty of players had been stirring, without a Steeden in sight.
South Sydney cop another kick in the guts with playmaker Cody Walker suspended for two matches, including the Rabbitohs return against arch-rivals the Roosters on Friday night, and the club fined $20,000.
The NRL came down hard on the police-reported, blackmail-suspected, Wayne Bennett-informed, flykick-videoed, off-field incident from Casino late last year.
It was the latest in a tricky run for those in cardinal and myrtle with James Roberts checking into a rehabilitation facility, Greg Inglis coming out of retirement to sign for English Super League outfit Warrington next year and Latrell Mitchell caught breaching self-isolation regulations during the global coronavirus pandemic.
SATURDAY
'Twas five days before kick off, when all through the referees' bunker, only half of the whiste blowers were stirring, and the others contemplated JobKeeper.
Reports emerge that a deal has been struck between the NRL and referees' union.
Following an ongoing battle between the parties, it's decided one whiste blower will be used when the season restarts rather than doubling up again.
The 'everything old is new again' system is set to be trialled in 2020 and reviewed at the end of the year, meaning no strike action or further delays to games.
ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys described the latest development as "heart warming".
SUNDAY
'Twas four days before kick off, when all through Newcastle's archives, footage of past deeds is quite stirring, not only those Johns brothers.
Today marks 12 months since the Knights extended a winning streak to five and upset eventual defending premiers the Roosters, featuring the famed logo kiss of captain Mitchell Pearce against his former club.
In front of a Friday-night crowd of 25,929 at McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle defeat the Sydney siders 38-12 and jump to fourth on the NRL ladder.
However, the July 20 re-match at the SCG was far less kind to the men in red and blue, going down 48-10 midway through a run of six losses. The two sides now don't meet again until Saturday, September 12, three rounds out from finals.
MONDAY
'Twas three days before kick off, when all through the Knights' castle, a new recruit had been stirring, lured away from old Red Hill.
New Knights No.9 McCulllough, following a cold and wet introduction to training in Newcastle after 12 first-grade seasons north of the border in the Queensland capital, admits he won't be watching his old teammates play on Thursday night in what will mark the return of professional sport in Australia amid the coronavirus crisis.
"A weird one I guess but to be honest I've learned not to watch too much football, especially playing on Sunday," the former Maroons representative said.
"So it's a hard one to say, but I probably won't [watch the Broncos]. Just more so to keep away from football and keep my energy here with the Knights."
TUESDAY
'Twas two days before kick off, when Shark waves hit the Shire, drug tests cause a stirring, deja vu circles in deeper water.
After a record two months between rounds, teams are revealed for week three but Cronulla centre Bronson Xerri won't be there after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs almost a decade after the club's supplements saga.
The 19-year-old, who has been provisionally suspended, faces a lengthy ban.
WEDNESDAY
'Twas one day before kick off, when all through the rugby league lands, chairman Peter was no longer stirring, he slipped away for a well-earned rest.
If the PM and Sharks No.1 ticket holder Scotty From Marketing produced a "miracle" win on election night 12 months ago, ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys has delivered something equivalent of divine intervention to get the country's top rugby league competition back up and running despite the ongoing threat of COVID-19.
The man also known in horse racing circles can take a bow for keeping the NRL business afloat and getting the green light for 34 blokes to wrestle on a field while no more than 10 people are allowed to gather in a NSW pub.
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