The NRL draw for the 2016 season has been released, capping a busy day at league headquarters.

After finally announcing the landmark broadcast rights deal, the NRL has published its schedule, which includes Thursday night matches in 18 of the 26 rounds.

NRL head of football Todd Greenberg announced said they had tried to schedule early-season blockbusters in family-friendly timeslots.

Dual international Sam Burgess will return for South Sydney against the Sydney Roosters in the opening round on Sunday afternoon. North Queensland begin their first premiership defence on Saturday, March 4 against Cronulla.

Other highlights of the 2016 schedule include:

• Kieran Foran's Parramatta Eels opening the season on Thursday, March 3, against grand finalists Brisbane Broncos at Pirtek Stadium, followed up with another home match against the Cowboys in Round 2.
• The grand final rematch between North Queensland and Brisbane on Good Friday at Suncorp Stadium.
• An Anzac round which will include traditional blockbusters St George Illawarra v Sydney Roosters and Melbourne v Warriors on Anzac Day.
• A Saturday night double header at Suncorp Stadium in Round 10, featuring Storm v Cowboys and Sea Eagles v Broncos.

"We wanted to ensure both fans and players benefited from the schedule," Greenberg said. "Importantly, we worked hard to ensure there was no increase in five-day turnarounds following feedback from the players. We will also see some huge blockbusters over the opening rounds of the Premiership at family-friendly times. We targeted Sunday afternoons in Sydney to ensure more people were able to see some of our biggest clashes over the opening few months of the competition.

"We worked with the broadcasters and Cowboys to ensure the club got its wish of a Saturday night game in Round One rather than a traditional Thursday night for the premiers – to ensure their fans who travel long distances are rewarded and given the opportunity to see their team open up their premiership defence.

"And Good Friday will see the traditional South Sydney-Bulldogs match as well as the grand final rematch between Brisbane and North Queensland. We will also be taking the game across the full breadth of Australia and New Zealand – we will see matches in Darwin, Perth, Bathurst, Cairns, Gosford as well as Christchurch, Wellington and for the first time New Plymouth. I'd like to thank both Channel Nine and Fox Sports for their hard work in ensuring we have such a strong draw and importantly one which benefits our fans, as well as the stars who will be entertaining them every week."