Origin bye planner: How to navigate major bye period

By Jay Schubert

It’s that time of year again, we’ve made money on cheapies, now we’re deciding on who to spend it on, who is going to give maximum reward and who is going to be a hold for the season.

However, with the Origin bye rounds fast approaching this could throw a spanner into the best laid plans.

The below will hopefully be a guide through Rounds 12-19 making it easier to plan ahead and get that ever elusive timing of trades just right.

For those unfamiliar with how Supercoach is scored throughout the Origin period it is as follows:

Major bye Rounds (The Origin Period)

• Rounds 12 / 15 / 18 (a round earlier than the last few seasons)
• NSW and QLD Rep players are not available due to the State of Origin
• 7 Teams have the BYE
• Only your Best 13 scoring players will go toward your Round score
• Considered Major BYE Rounds

Mini bye Rounds (Immediately following the Origin Rounds)

• Rounds 13 / 16 / 19
• Three teams have the BYE
• Normal Supercoach scoring Round
• High potential for Rep players to be rested or play reduced minutes
• Often harder to navigate than the major byes

Looking through the bye schedule, there are patterns that can be seen, as groups of teams share the same bye rounds.

This will be a huge help to coaches that have planned, based on who is playing on certain rounds, if there is an injury you’re not limited to choosing a replacement from the same team to get the same bye round coverage.

Getting into it the teams with the best bye schedule are the Knights and the Cowboys.

Both the Knights and the Cowboys only have 1 bye during this period. Round 18 and Round 12 respectfully, meaning non-Origin players will play 7 of 8 games.

Players of Interest: Lucas, Drinkwater, Sharpe

Putting that into a value

A player that can score 50 consistently will score 350 points across the period, however an Origin player who averages 70 may only play three games equalling 210 points.

That’s a deficit of 140 points plus the cash that would have been generated from making the trade.

Following this is the Roosters, while having two byes they are the only team to not have them fall on a major or mini BYE. Meaning they will be the only team to cover that week, same as a standard round.

Players of Interest: Tedesco, Nawaqanitawase, Whyte

Teams that play the three major byes are the Sea Eagles and the Bulldogs. They do miss two mini bye rounds though.

Sea Eagles 16 & 19

Bulldogs 13 & 16

This one is great for coverage through the major bye rounds, however beware for any Origin players, as they will only play three games at most from Round 12 to Round 19.

Players of Interest: Preston, Kikau, Garrick, Hopoate

** Note – Players likely affected by Origin: DCE, Olakau’atu, Burton, Turbo

Teams that miss 1 major bye and 1 minor bye are the Sharks, Dolphins, Raiders, Dragons, Rabbitohs.

These are the tricky teams as it really comes down to team depth for each major bye round.

Sharks and Dolphins share the same bye schedule missing the minor bye in round 13 and the round 18 major bye.

Raiders do not have their first bye until the round 15 major bye, they also miss the minor bye in round 19.

On the other hand, if any Dragons and Rabbitohs players can be held through the round 12 bye they will only miss rounds 16 and round 19 respectively.

All the remaining teams miss 2 of the major bye; Broncos, Storm, Tigers, Eels, Panthers, Warriors and Titans.

Any Origin players from these teams are worth holding, as they only miss 1 more game than their non-Origin teammates.

As mentioned above there are patterns with the bye schedule through this period; Broncos, Storm and Tigers all share the same bye weeks, rounds 12 and 15.

While the Eels, Panthers and Warriors all miss rounds 15 and 18. The Titans are the only team that miss rounds 12 and 18.

Examples of players with the same bye schedule through that could benefit are:

Reynolds / Hughes

Edwards / Iongi / CNK

As a lot of teams will be playing understrength or put-together teams, it is very hard to say who has a tough / easy draw.

I hope this helps in setting up your teams to get the most out of the Origin period

Origin player impact

There are 3 teams that will have their Origin contingent affected more than the others. 

These are the Roosters, Panthers and Broncos as they have byes just either side of this period.

Roosters Origin players will miss rounds 10,12,14,15,17,18.  Only playing a maximum of 3/9 games over this period.

Players to note: Crichton, Watson, Possibly Tedesco

Panthers Origin players will miss round 11,12,15,18 although not as bad only playing 4/8 games.

Players to note: Cleary, Yeo, Too, Edwards

The Broncos Origin players will miss rounds 12,15,18,20. 

With player’s workloads to likely be managed through this period they will only play a maximum of 5/9 games.

Players to Note: Haas, Carrigan, Hunt, Cobbo, Walsh

As a lot of teams will be playing understrength or put-together teams, it is very hard to who has a tough / easy draw.

But I hope this helps in setting up your teams to get the most out of the Origin period