Philosophical Rabbitohs boss Shane Richardson has asked the NRL to guarantee it will not burden South Sydney with any five-day turnarounds in the final six rounds of the competition after they were hit hardest in the 2017 draw.

The 2014 premiers are scheduled for four five-day turnarounds – the most of any team – with two of those coming on the back of taxing trips to Perth and Cairns where the cardinal and myrtle will spread the rugby league gospel.

The scrapping of Monday night football has significantly reduced the amount of five-day turnarounds from 31 to 19, but the Rabbitohs will shoulder much of the despised shortened rest period next year.

"[Monday night football being scrapped] hasn't helped us," Rabbitohs general manager of football Richardson said. "From our point of view we're working with the NRL in trying to assist us – not to get the draw changed – but how we help the players recover.

"Hopefully we don't get any five-day turnarounds in the last six weeks and I have raised that with Todd Greenberg and Brian Canavan.

"Obviously we've got 14 of our first 20 games on Channel Nine, either on a Sunday or Friday night. If you're going to regularly play on a Sunday you're going to have short turnarounds.

"It's great for your sponsors, but five-day turnarounds are not great for players. We've got them and we've got to deal with them, but we need assistance from the NRL in terms of recovery which they gave last year and will hopefully do again this year."

The Rabbitohs' heavy-legged schedule contrasts that of free-to-air favourites Brisbane, who have just one five-day turnaround during the opening 20 rounds with the majority of their games on Thursday or Friday night.

The NRL and Rugby League Players Association brokered a reduction in shortened weeks to ease player welfare concerns for a season which will start in the first week of March and finish with a World Cup.

"We thank the RLPA, in particular, because they've worked really close with us to reduce that, and we've reduced it significantly from last year which I'm really pleased about," NRL chief executive Greenberg said.

New Rabbitoh Robbie Farah will take on his former club Wests Tigers in a Friday night blockbuster during the opening round, which will also feature premiers Cronulla opening the season against the Broncos on March 2.

Jarryd Hayne's first clash with Parramatta will be as early as round three on the Gold Coast, but he won't return to take on the blue and golds in Sydney until round 24.

Jason Taylor's Tigers were a big winner in the free-to-air stakes with their opening five games on Channel Nine.

"To have eight of our nine home games on free-to-air television is certainly a reward for the style of football we're trying to employ," Tigers chief executive Justin Pascoe said.

"We've also got traditional crowd-pulling Sydney teams such as the Panthers and Roosters scheduled to play at Campbelltown which is a great reward for our members in south-western Sydney."

The NRL's other joint venture, St George Illawarra, have slated an extra game for their Kogarah base instead of playing four home games away from UOW Jubilee Oval and Wollongong's WIN Stadium.

"In 2017 the NRL have not been able to deliver the right games as per their undertakings so as such, we won't be taking a visiting team with travelling fans who we can fit into our smaller suburban venues, to a larger venue," Dragons boss Peter Doust said. "This is not what [the right games right venue] strategy was about."

Canberra's free-to-air coverage has increased to four games in the first 20 rounds after 2016's success

"I was just hoping for some [free-to-air games]," Furner said. "That's always a sticking point for us. I reckon we're a lot more attractive than a lot of the teams I saw play on Channel 9 last year and it's a great reward for Ricky and the boys for their efforts last year. We've got those other prime time spots on Saturday night on Fox Sports too which is good recognition as well."

An NRL game will be played in each mainland state after the Roosters agreed to take their round 16 match against Melbourne to the Adelaide Oval.

FEATURED GAMES

Rd 1: Sharks v Broncos at Southern Cross Group Stadium, Thursday, March 2 (premiers kick-off season)

Rd 1: Rabbitohs v Tigers at ANZ Stadium, Friday, March 3 (Robbie Farah takes on former club)

Rd 2: Raiders v Sharks at GIO Stadium, Saturday, March 11 (first clash between bitter rivals after Ricky Stuart's finals blow-up)

Rd 3: Titans v Eels at Cbus Super Stadium, Friday, March 17 (Jarryd Hayne takes on former club for first time)

Rd 6: Warriors v Eels at Mt Smart Stadium, Sunday, April 9 (Kieran Foran's potential first clash against former club)

Rd 6: Storm v Sharks at AAMI Park, Sunday, April 9 (grand final rematch)

Rd 16: Roosters v Storm at Adelaide Oval, Saturday, June 24 (rugby league returns to Adelaide)

Rd 24: Eels v Titans at ANZ Stadium, TBC (Hayne returns to Sydney to take on former club)