The dust has settled from the release of the NRL draw, and while fairness is never possible, the Origin period is always a bug bear of fans.
Zero Tackle have analysed the strength of every team's schedule during the Origin period to determine just how bad your team has it.
For the purposes of this, we are stating that the Origin period starts in Round 13 (the round leading into Game 1 of the series when players will sit out and teams have byes) and concludes with Round 20 (the round after Game 3).
In that period, the rounds are as follows.
Round 13: Before Origin 1, five games, seven byes.
Round 14: After Origin 1, seven games, three byes.
Round 15: Full round between Origin 1 and 2.
Round 16: Before Origin 2, five games, seven byes.
Round 17: After Origin 2, seven games, three byes.
Round 18: Full round between Origin 2 and 3
Round 19: Before Origin 3, five games, seven byes.
Round 20: After Origin 3, seven games, three byes.
Use the drop down menu below to navigate between each club.
Brisbane Broncos
Fixtures: Bye, Sharks (home), Rabbitohs (away), Bye, Warriors (away), Panthers (home), Dragons (home), Knights (away)
Number of byes: 2
The Broncos have done exceedingly well out of their Origin period draw. The big boost for the club is that they have byes leading into both Game 1 and 2 of the series.
Brisbane, as we know, will provide plenty of players come Origin time, so only having to play one game without those players is an enormous boost.
They play the Dragons prior to Game 3 as well, and while the Red V do present some level of unknown under Shane Flanagan, they are certainly, on paper at least, not going to be one of the title challengers.
Their games after the three Origins are a bit tougher though, with the Sharks, Warriors and Knights on the menu. The game away from home against the Warriors just three days after Origin 2 will likely see a number of players sit out, so that could be one of the tougher assignments Brisbane faces all year.
Overall, this is certainly a better time of it than some clubs will face.
Difficulty: 5/10
I think if I were Wayne, I would concede that the chances of winning the three pre-Origin games is zero. Having done that, I would give most of my non-Origin players some Rest & Recovery time and field a Queensland Cup side.
That will make no difference to the outcome of each match, but will leave the squad a whole lot less battered for the run in from the end of the Origin to the end of the season.