With 17 teams, byes every week and a season where more games need to be played, the impacts of State of Origin will be as big as they have been in 2023 since prior to the Gold Coast Titans joining the competition.
In previous years, every team would play only one game prior to a State of Origin game and without stars.
That has gone out the back window in 2023 though, with no week off before Origin 2, and more than half of the competition playing prior to each Origin game.
The Origin period stretches from Round 13 to Round 20 as follows:
- Round 13: Before Origin 1 - Origin players not allowed to play.
- Round 14: After Origin 1 - Origin players backing up.
- Round 15: Normal round.
- Round 16: Before Origin 2 - Origin players not allowed to play.
- Round 17: After Origin 2 - Origin players backing up.
- Round 18: Normal round.
- Round 19: Before Origin 3 - Origin players not allowed to play.
- Round 20: After Origin 3 - Origin players backing up.
Following the announcement of both squads on Monday morning, here is how your team will be impacted by the State of Origin window.
NSW Blues Game 1 squad
QLD Maroons Game 1 squad
Note: This article assumes squads would remain the same across the Origin series.
Newcastle Knights
Current ladder position: 12th, 11 points, -36
Players selected: Tyson Frizell
Origin period fixtures: Round 13: vs Sea Eagles (h), Round 14: Bye, Round 15: vs Broncos (a), Round 16: vs Roosters (h), Round 17: vs Panthers (a), Round 18: vs Bulldogs (a), Round 19: vs bye, Round 20: vs Tigers (h)
The Knights have been left relatively unaffected by Origin after Kalyn Ponga was overlooked for Reece Walsh - that's not to say he won't be included later in the series of course, but right now, the Knights can plan full steam ahead.
They play without Tyson Frizell in Round 13 against the Knights before having the bye, with their other Origin period being before Game 3.
They face a tricky test against the Roosters prior to Game 2, and then could get lucky if the Panthers rest stars after Game 2. They close the Origin period by playing the Tigers after Game 3, albeit on 48 hours of recovery.
Liam Martin was also picked for the Panthers?