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.
St George Illawarra Dragons
Current ladder position: 17th, 8 points, - 45
Players selected: Ben Hunt
Origin period fixtures: Round 13: vs Dolphins (a), Round 14: vs Panthers (a), Round 15: vs Rabbitohs (h), Round 16: Bye, Round 17: vs Warriors (h), Round 18: vs Sharks (a), Round 19: vs Raiders (h), Round 20: Bye
The Dragons will take on the Dolphins before Origin 1, and the Raiders before Origin 3 in the two games they will be forced to play without Ben Hunt.
Given the Dragons' record without Hunt on the park, it'll be a tricky period to negotiate for the Red V, who also have to play the Warriors after Origin 2 on just 48 hours of recovery from Game 2.
They also play the Panthers after Game 1, although that could work in their favour if Penrith doesn't back up stars on Sunday evening. The Dragons have the bye after Game 3, and a handful of tough games in between Origins with the Rabbitohs and Sharks on the menu.
Liam Martin was also picked for the Panthers?