Parramatta Eels 2022 draw snapshot

Here is all you need to know about the Parramatta Eels' 2022 Telstra Premiership draw.

The Lowdown

Teams they play twice

Storm, Panthers, Rabbitohs, Sea Eagles, Roosters, Titans, Wests Tigers, Broncos, Bulldogs

Teams they play once

Knights, Sharks, Raiders, Dragons, Warriors, Cowboys

Day-by-day breakdown

Thursday 3; Friday 6; Saturday 8; Sunday 5; Monday 2.

Opening month

A Sunday afternoon CommBank clash against the Titans gets things underway for the Eels before trips to Cronulla then Melbourne then back home to face the Dragons. They will likely start favourites in three of those games and even the Storm should hold no fear after last year's efforts, meaning Brad Arthur's men could keep their recent habit of starting fast alive.

Toughest stretch

The period leading Origin I will test Brad Arthur's men. They get the Panthers, Roosters, Sea Eagles and Raiders from rounds nine to 12, facing Penrith in their backyard, the Roosters at Suncorp for Magic Round and travelling to the nation's capital to meet the Green Machine. Only the Manly clash takes place at CommBank, and that's a ground that holds few fears for the Sea Eagles of late.

Make it count

Directly prior to the above tough road is a period where it is vital for the Eels to bank some wins. Starting with a round four home game against the Dragons, they face the Titans (away), the Tigers at CommBank on Easter Monday, the Knights (away) then take a home game against the Cowboys to Darwin. There's a strong chance they start favourites in all those games.

Storyline to watch

Parramatta’s exit from the 2021 finals series to Penrith was a heart-breaker with majority of the squad back to make amends. Reed Mahoney’s return from a shoulder injury is a massive boost and will provide the side with stability in the spine that they struggled to fill when it counted. Can the Eels lift to another level and finally break a premiership drought stretching back to 1986 or will Brad Arthur again come under the microscope after a finals finish fails to deliver the ultimate prize?

• see the NRL 2022 draw here