The Dragons are positioned to potentially benefit most from their schedule through the NRL rounds impacted by State of Origin in 2024.
With state representatives not able to take the field for their club in rounds which fall immediately before Origin matches – which in 2024 occur in Round 13, 16 and 19 of the Telstra Premiership – the Dragons may have struck gold in drawing the Panthers and Broncos in Round 13 and 19 respectively, when both of those sides will likely have a large number of players involved in Origin I and Origin III.
Penrith had six players selected across last year’s Origin series and next year will have five 2023 Origin players still on their roster, while Brisbane will have four of their five 2023 Origin reps on the books next year.
In addition to playing those Origin-packed teams without their rep stars, St George Illawarra also face the Dolphins – who have three incumbent Origin players in their side – in Round 17, four days after Game Two of the Origin series will be played in Melbourne.
The Warriors, who didn’t have anyone feature in Origin last year, also appear on paper to have a favourable run during the mid-season representative period, with games against the Cowboys and Broncos in rounds 14 and 17, when players will need to back up on a short turnaround in order to play NRL footy that week.
The Kiwi side, who join the Broncos, Panthers, Cowboys and Storm as the being the only teams with byes in two of the three rounds when Origin players are ruled out, also play the Titans in Round 16 when they will be without any of their Queensland reps, of which they had four last year.
At the other end of the scale the Dolphins look like being one of the teams most negatively impacted by their draw through this period.
The only club without a bye in any of the three rounds when Origin players are unavailable for their clubs, the Dolphins will have to navigate clashes against the Raiders in Round 13, Storm in Round 16 and Rabbitohs in Round 19 without their state reps.
The 2024 NRL and NRLW draws explained
They do have the benefit of not having to back up after Origin I though thanks to a bye, while they’ll face the Panthers four days after Origin III too, which could be good timing for Wayne Bennett’s men.
The other potential big winners from the draw through rounds 13-20 are the Sea Eagles and Wests Tigers.
While a good chance of having Daly Cherry-Evans and Tom and Jake Trbojevic involved in Origin, the Sea Eagles play the Panthers four days after Origin I, the Titans four days after Origin III and get the Rabbitohs in Round 16.
The Wests Tigers could face some weakened opposition too, with games against the Raiders and Sharks in Round 16 and 19 respectively, plus post-Origin fixtures with the Dragons, Roosters and Rabbitohs.
2024 NRL Draw Analysis: Wests Tigers
In terms of tough road trips on the back of Origin matches, Brisbane have perhaps the most difficult slate.
The 2023 runners-up travel to New Zealand to play the Warriors three days after Game Two in Melbourne, while playing the Knights at McDonald Jones Stadium three days on from Origin III won't be easy either.
The Storm conversely have the bonus of playing at home in the round immediately following each Origin game, which will be particularly useful for them – and their opponents the Raiders – in Round 17 when they play in Melbourne four days after Origin II is staged at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
