Next season’s State of Origin period will coincide with the Vodafone Warriors defending the NRL's ultimate set of six.
It starts straight after the opening State of Origin clash and won’t finish until two weeks after the last of the three annual encounters between Queensland and New South Wales.
In that period the Vodafone Warriors will line up against six of 2017’s top eight outfits in the space of seven weeks finishing with a Mount Smart Stadium battle with premiership-winning Melbourne.
The series begins with Manly (sixth) in Christchurch on June 9, followed by beaten grand finalist North Queensland in Townsville on June 15, Cronulla (fifth) at Mount Smart Stadium on June 29, away matches against Penrith (seventh) on July 6 and Brisbane (third) on July 15 and the Storm in Auckland on July 22. The sequence is broken up by the stand-alone weekend for Origin II on Sunday, June 24, at ANZ Stadium.
The Origin season opens with Queensland and New South Wales going into battle at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Wednesday, June 6. The final match will be played at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday, July 11.
SET OF SIX
Round 14 | v Manly Sea Eagles
5.00pm, Saturday, June 9
AMI Stadium, Christchurch
Overall record: Played 31 – Vodafone Warriors won 8, Manly won 23; Manly scored 720 points, Vodafone Warriors scored 521 points.
Biggest wins: Manly – 52-6 at Brookvale Oval, 2008; Vodafone Warriors – 36-10 at Brookvale Oval, 1999.
Round 15 | v North Queensland Cowboys
6.00pm, Friday, June 15
1300SMILES Stadium, Townsville
Overall record: Played 37 – Vodafone Warriors won 18, North Queensland won 19; Vodafone Warriors scored 857 points, North Queensland scored 858 points.
Biggest wins: Vodafone Warriors – 52-6 at Mt Smart Stadium, 1996; North Queensland – 52-12 at Dairy Farmers Stadium, 2012.
Round 16 | v Cronulla Sharks
8.00pm, Friday, June 29
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
Overall record: Played 37 – Vodafone Warriors won 16, Cronulla won 21; Cronulla scored 741 points, Vodafone Warriors scored 670 points.
Biggest wins: Cronulla – 45-4 at Mt Smart Stadium, 2012; Vodafone Warriors – 30-0 at Mt Smart Stadium, 2001.
Round 17 | v Penrith Panthers
7.50pm, Friday, July 6
Panthers Stadium, Penrith
Overall record: Played 39 – Vodafone Warriors won 16, Penrith won 22, drawn 1; Vodafone Warriors scored 907 points, Penrith scored 1019 points.
Biggest wins: Penrith – 62-6 at Centrebet Stadium, 2013; Vodafone Warriors – 52-8 at Ericsson Stadium, 2001.
Round 18 | v Brisbane Broncos
2.00pm, Sunday, July 15
Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Overall record: Played 39 – Vodafone Warriors won 17, Brisbane won 22; Brisbane scored 845 points, Vodafone Warriors scored 766 points.
Biggest wins: Brisbane – 44-6 at QEII Stadium, 1995; Vodafone Warriors – 56-18 at Suncorp Stadium, 2013.
Round 19 | v Melbourne Storm
4.00pm, Sunday, July 22
Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland
Overall record: Played 40 – Vodafone Warriors won 16, Melbourne won 22, draws 2; Melbourne scored 871 points, Vodafone Warriors scored 599 points.
Biggest wins: Melbourne – 56-10 at Olympic Park, 2000; Vodafone Warriors – 28-12 at Olympic Park, 2002.
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