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.
Penrith Panthers
Fixtures: Dragons (home), Sea Eagles (home), Knights (away), Bye, Cowboys (home), Broncos (home), bye, Dolphins (home)
Number of byes: 2
The Panthers will again be one of the sides likely to provide more players to the Origin arena than most, leaving them with plenty to overcome during the eight-week period.
They have been handed byes before Origin 2 and 3 though, which certainly will help their cause, while their only forced game without Origin players comes against the Dragons at home - which is a match up that would be near the top of Penrith's wishlist for that round.
After Origin, with players backing up, they play the Manly Sea Eagles at home, the North Queensland Cowboys at home and the Dolphins at home.
Not having to travel in those three rounds is an enormous boost for Ivan Cleary's side from the foot of the mountains, and while they play the Broncos and Knights in the games between the Origin games, only the Knights is away, meaning Penrith don't travel out of New South Wales for that entire period.
It's about as straightforward as it gets.
Difficulty: 3/10
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.