Rugby league legend Cameron Smith has called for the NRL to shake-up the current Origin schedule and introduce a representative period in the middle of the season.
With injuries and player availability consistently hampering NRL teams, there have been loud calls for changes to be made to minimise the impact of the Origin series.
Already this season the Dolphins have lost key forward Tom Gilbert to a season-ending shoulder injury, while Sea Eagles superstar Tom Trbojevic suffered a torn pectoral muscle.
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Smith, who played 42 games for Queensland, backed a mid-year representative period as opposed to Origin being played after the regular NRL season.
“These players are fatigued … emotionally, mentally, physically fatigued, so I do understand the call…
