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THE NRL will launch the 2014 season with the grudge match of the year — superstar Ben Barba against the club he walked out on, the Bulldogs.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal that broadcasters Channel 9 requested the Brisbane-Canterbury blockbuster for the opening Friday night of the season at Suncorp Stadium on March 7.
It would put the fullback and 2012 Dally M champion up against his old club and many of the players he fell out with during a tumultuous 2013 that included claims of domestic violence as well as gambling and alcohol issues.
On the Thursday night, March 6, bitter local rivals the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Sydney Roosters will play at ANZ Stadium.
The games will also be shown live in high definition on Channel 9, the station having finally overcome the technical issues that prevented it covering the NRL in HD.
Nine recently lodged its requests with the NRL for the opening 20 rounds of a fixed-schedule season and expects final approval within days.
The AFL season draw is revealed on Thursday but the NRL will be at least two weeks later.
Barba's clash with the Bulldogs will surely sell out Suncorp, ensuring a bumper 50,000-plus State of Origin-type crowd in Brisbane.
The night before, the Roosters and Rabbitohs will get up towards 70,000 at Homebush in what has now become the traditional season kick-off.
Barba, recovering from recent ankle surgery, last night told The Daily Telegraph it would be a huge first-round challenge.
"Wow, imagine the crowd," Barba said.
"I've got to play against the boys sometime, so it might as well be round one. At the moment I'm just getting over my surgery and looking forward to starting training.
"At this stage I'm thinking more about the Broncos than my opponents."
It's no secret Barba left the Bulldogs on bad terms with many of his teammates and coaching staff.
They were bitter he walked out on the club after management and coach Des Hasler had invested heavily in his rehabilitation.
The two opening-round blockbusters are part of more strategic planning involving Nine, Fox Sports, the NRL and the clubs.
A poorly thought-out schedule was largely blamed for the slump in crowds and TV ratings last season.
"We will be trying to play as many of the big marquee games in key timeslots to maximise TV ratings and crowds," the NRL's head of football Todd Greenberg said.
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