He voiced his concerns with the Broncos’ draw.
Canberra Raiders boss Don Furner has publicly blasted the NRL over the 2026 premiership draw, accusing the league of favouring the Brisbane Broncos by “orchestrating” a schedule that gives them a clear advantage.
The outburst came after the NRL released its 2026 fixture list, which sees the reigning premiers enjoy an extraordinary 14 games at Suncorp Stadium, including being listed as the ‘away team’ for Magic Round.
Furner labelled the arrangement a “dream draw” for Brisbane and argued that the league consistently grants them scheduling privileges.
“I think they end up playing 14 games at home because they also play Redcliffe there,” Furner told reporters.
“They are very, very lucky, but I can’t wait for the year they miss out on Magic Round.”
The Raiders CEO highlighted the stark imbalance between clubs, revealing that the Raiders were forced to travel 14,960 kilometres across 10 away games during the first 17 rounds of the 2025 season, while the Broncos only travelled 6,200 kilometres in the same stretch.
Furner also took aim at the league’s handling of Magic Round, where the Broncos once again benefit from playing at their home ground, even when technically listed as the visiting team.
“No, that’s orchestrated for them,” he said when asked if the situation was a surprise.
He added that the situation was “disappointing” for Canberra’s Queensland-based fans but couldn’t resist a jab, calling the Raiders “everyone’s second favourite team in Queensland.”
Furner’s comments were echoed by Queensland legend Corey Parker, who expressed his own frustration with the NRL’s Magic Round scheduling.
“I’m having a dig at the NRL,” Parker said on SEN.
“The minor premiers, the best team, the most consistent team throughout the course of the season last year, are not there.
“It’s an absolute disgrace.”
The NRL has yet to respond to Furner’s claims, but the debate adds further fuel to ongoing criticisms that the Broncos, one of the league’s biggest commercial draws, receive preferential treatment in scheduling decisions.
