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.

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St George Illawarra Dragons

Fixtures: Panthers (away), Tigers (home), Sea Eagles (away), Bye, Dolphins (home), Roosters (home), Broncos (away), Bye
Number of byes: 2

The Dragons certainly have one of the better draws to carry them through the Origin period. They play before two Origins, but those games are against the likely-to-be-decimated Penrith Panthers and Brisbane Broncos.

Even though both games are away, the Dragons could well find themselves entering both games as favourites if they have a semi-decent start to the season - even a good start to the campaign is unlikely to see anyone other than Ben Hunt dragged into the Origin frame.

How they replace Hunt with their halves issues is anyone's guess, but the Red V certainly have been helped by the draw.

They have the bye before Game 2 and after Game 3, playing the Tigers and Dolphins in the games directly after Origin. Again, the Dolphins may not be at full strength backing up on a short turnaround, while the Tigers are an unknown quantity who could yet play that game without Apisai Koroisau.

It's tough to view this as anything other than the easiest of Origin draws.

Difficulty: 2/10

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1 COMMENT

  1. 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.

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