Dragons coach Paul McGregor may rest his Origin representatives for the club's round 16 clash with the Eels to ensure they are cherry ripe at the business end of the season.
McGregor's troops meet the Eels just four days after State of Origin II, and the ladder-leading Dragons have a host of players competing in the series.
Second rowers Tyson Frizell and Tariq Sims, lock Jack de Belin and front-rower Paul Vaughan have all been named to Brad Fittler's Game II 20-man squad, while halfback Ben Hunt played for Queensland in the opening game.
Furthermore, five-eighth Gareth Widdop and front rower James Graham will represent England in their Denver Test against New Zealand also on June 24, which may feature forward Leeson Ah Mau and veteran Jason Nightingale.
“The boys have got an important game to play for their countries, that is important to them, and obviously, we have State of Origin,” McGregor told nrl.com.
“We will just re-assess things after those games as we have only got four days going into Parramatta.
“If I do play the Origin guys against Parramatta that would be four games in 21 days for those players and I put the welfare of my players first before anything so that is the most important thing.
“The players will always want to play the next game so sometimes you have got to take that out of their control a little bit and be more on what is needed for the club.”
Following his side's comprehensive 32-8 win over Manly, McGregor said his side had earned the luxury of being able to manage their players.
“It’s a bit like Melbourne in the past, they have been in the position to rest guys at important stages because they were so high on the ladder every year so it does give you a little bit of scope to look at the back of the year,” McGregor said.
“We have got a purpose within our squad of what we want to do and that is to give ourselves every chance at the back end of the year and finish as high as we can so that is another game on that journey. To stay two points clear is really good.”
The Dragons coach had no problems with his players playing representative football, wishing them the very best.
“I am a person who backs my players to play representative footy,” he said.
“As a young guy you try to play at the highest level and the highest level is for your country or your state, and then make sure they do the best prior to that for their club and after that for their club.
“I won’t be hiding under the doona or anything like that, I will be wishing them all the best for their games."
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