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.
Newcastle Knights
Fixtures: Bulldogs (home), Storm (away), Panthers (home), Bye, Eels (home), Raiders (away), Sea Eagles (away), Broncos (home)
Number of byes: 1
The Knights are one of the few teams who only have a single bye during the State of Origin period, and it has left them with undoubtedly one of the tougher schedules. It could come down to whether Kalyn Ponga is picked for Queensland or not, but for argument's sake, let's say he is, and that continuing good early season form has others, namely the Saifiti brothers, in the frame.
They start the Origin period by playing the Bulldogs at home, then have the bye before Game 2 before playing the Sea Eagles before Game 3 - arguably two games you'd want to avoid in those weeks, given the lack of Origin players likely to be selected.
They play the Storm away from home after Game 1, and the Eels at home after Game 2, before playing the Broncos at home after Game 3. The home games will help, but again, they are difficult games. Plenty of that could come down to who is selected and backs up, though.
They won't have any free runs in the games between Origins either, with the Panthers and Raiders on the menu.
No matter which way you slice it, this is a tough run.
Difficulty: 9/10
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.