HE was the key to the Roosters' 2013 title and now Sonny Bill Williams looms as the essential ingredient to NRL SuperCoach glory in 2014.

The New Zealand superstar was the big fantasy winner from yesterday's release of the NRL draw for next season because he has byes that fall late and on easy weeks, and he is ineligible for Origin due to his allegiance to the Kiwis.

The Roosters, Rabbitohs, Titans, Bulldogs and Tigers will be the most in-demand teams over the representative period (see full analysis below), meaning the Burgess brothers, Issac Luke and James Graham will also be essential commodities over the make-or-break phase of the SuperCoach season.

Some Origin players, including SuperCoach greats Corey Parker, Matt Gillett, Cameron Smith and Jarryd Hayne, are potential holds for the entire bye period given they may miss only three games.

News_Image_File: Jarryd Hayne has a good bye schedule for an Origin player.

Despite off-season talk of sweeping changes to the representative format in 2014, which would have had a huge effect on SuperCoach, the NRL has stuck with a similar schedule to last season.

The rep/bye period will again stretch over eight rounds, despite calls for it to be condensed to six weeks.

Further, the competition will again halt for one week between rounds eight and nine for a representative round, comprising of the Anzac Test and City-Country. Both these games will therefore have no impact on the NRL or SuperCoach.

However, there are also two considerable SuperCoach outcomes from tweaks to the bye structure. They are:

• THE tough Origin rounds will be easier in 2014: The toughest rounds last year featured eight teams on the break and Origin players out. But the toughest rounds next season feature only six teams on the bye and Origin players out. The tough bye rounds (11, 14 and 17) will therefore be slightly easier than last year (by two teams);

• THE "easy" rounds will be harder in 2014: The fact two less teams break on the Origin weeks means the rest of the byes have been spread out. For 2014, all but one of the "easy" weeks this year (12, 13, 15 and 18) feature four teams on the bye. Last year, most of the "easy" weeks featured just two teams on the bye. Further, while last year featured two weeks within the rep season without a bye, this year features just one bye-free week. The end result is that the "easy" weeks will be considerably harder in 2014, meaning SuperCoaches will require a wider spread of players.

News_Image_File: Issac Luke will be essential over Origin.

We've ranked the teams in order of their usefulness over the byes. Check out our verdict below:

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1. Roosters, Rabbitohs (rounds 15 and 18)

Lowdown: These are the best teams for the bye period because both breaks fall late and on easier weeks. However, Origin players, including Greg Inglis, miss five weeks - the equal most in the comp.

Tactics: Load up on Roosters and Rabbitohs early and potentially hold throughout the entire bye period. Players from these two teams will make the backbone of most SuperCoach sides. In a great coincidence for SuperCoaches (or planning by the NRL), many of the best purchases from these two teams play for New Zealand or England - including Sonny Bill Williams, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Sam Burgess, Issac Luke and George Burgess - and therefore won't miss games through Origin. Williams, Luke and Burgess are essentials over the Origin period, while the others will definitely come into contention.

Potential bye-period purchases: Sonny Bill Williams, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Jake Friend, Kane Evans (potential cheapie), Sam Burgess, Issac Luke, George Burgess, Luke Keary (potential cheapie)

Buys pending Origin selections: James Maloney, Boyd Cordner, Michael Jennings, Mitchell Pearce, Adam Reynolds, John Sutton

Origin certainties: Greg Inglis, Chris McQueen, Ben Te'o

News_Image_File: James Graham will be a must-have for the rep season.

2. Titans, Bulldogs (rounds 12 and 16)

Lowdown: We've ranked these teams in second place given their byes fall early, but an argument could be made that these two teams feature the best bye schedule in the comp. Their second bye falls on a week when only two teams have the bye, making it the easiest bye of the season (other byes feature four or six teams). Origin players miss five weeks.

Tactics: Load up on these teams early and potentially hold throughout the entire bye period. Just like foreign players at the Roosters and Rabbitohs, James Graham will be essential over the rep period - and Aiden Tolman is not far behind. Despite a poor 2013, Dave Taylor could also be an option given his great SuperCoach history - granted he misses Origin selection.

Potential bye-period purchases: Jamal Idris, Aidan Sezer, Albert Kelly, James Graham, Aidan Tolman, David Klemmer (potential cheapie)

Buys pending Origin selections: Dave Taylor, Ashley Harrison, Josh Reynolds, Tony Williams, Josh Morris

Origin certainties: Greg Bird, Nate Myles

3. Tigers (rounds 12 and 15)

Lowdown: Despite their byes falling early, the Tigers will be great over the rep period as both their breaks fall on easy weeks. But Origin players, including Robbie Farah and possibly Aaron Woods, miss five weeks.

Tactics: Will be in high-demand throughout the entire bye period. SuperCoaches have plenty of options. Load up early if you can cover rounds 12 and 15. Or wait until after round 15, when they will be highly valuable as they finish their byes early (third quickest in the NRL behind the Sharks and Sea Eagles). Farah and Woods should be sold over Origin as they miss five games.

Potential bye-period purchases: Luke Brooks (could be cheapie of the year), Liam Fulton

Buys pending Origin selections: Aaron Woods

Origin certainties: Robbie Farah

4. Cowboys (rounds 14 and 18)

Lowdown: One bye (round 18) falls on an easier week, but the other (round 14) falls on a tough week. In any case, the byes are late and players will be available for the tough rounds 11 and 17. Origin players, including Johnathan Thurston and Matt Scott, miss four games.

Tactics: Cowboys will be very useful for the tough rounds 11 and 17. Tactics will depend on team balance, but players could potentially be held over the entire bye period, given cover for round 14. Johnathan Thurston misses four games over Origin (neither good nor bad), meaning a decision to hold or sell will depend on individual situation.

Potential bye-period purchases: Joel Reithmuller, Gavin Cooper, Tariq Sims, Jason Taumalolo, Ray Thompson (if playing 80 mins at hooker)

Buys pending Origin selections: None

Origin certainties: Johnathan Thurston, James Tamou, Matt Scott

News_Image_File: Shaun Fensom will be useful for round 11.

5. Broncos, Raiders, Warriors (rounds 14 and 17)

Lowdown: Both byes fall on tough weeks, but come late, meaning they will be useful early. Origin players miss just three weeks.

Tactics: SuperCoach stars such as Ben Barba, Shaun Fensom, Anthony Milford, Shaun Johnson, Konrad Hurrell and Feleti Mateo will be crucial for round 11. But from there, tactics will vary. Some may need to be sold prior to round 14 given their tough finish to the bye schedule. Origin players, including SuperCoach greats Corey Parker and Matt Gillett, are potential holds for the entire bye period given they may miss only three games.

Potential bye-period purchases: Ben Barba, Andrew McCullough, Josh Hoffman, Alex Glenn, Shaun Fensom, Josh Papalii, Anthony Milford, Mitch Cornish (potential cheapie), Shaun Johnson, Konrad Hurrell, Feleti Mateo

Buys pending Origin selections: Ben Hannant, Josh McGuire

Origin certainties: Corey Parker, Matt Gillett, Justin Hodges, Sam Thaiday

6. Sharks (rounds 12 and 14)

Lowdown: Early byes, with one easy (round 12) and one tough (round 14). Origin players, including SuperCoach guns Paul Gallen and Andrew Fifita, miss four weeks.

Tactics: Useful for round 11, but sell immediately afterwards to get through rounds 12 and 14. Load up again post round 14, given the Sharks are the equal first team to finish their byes (the Sea Eagles are the other). In terms of Origin players, Gallen and Fifita will play only three of four rounds from round 11 to 14. They could be sold over this period before buying back post round 14 or 17, depending on team situation and trades.

Potential bye-period purchases: Michael Gordon, Tupou Sopoaga (potential cheapie), Chris Heighington, Wade Graham

Buys pending Origin selections: Todd Carney

Origin certainties: Andrew Fifita, Paul Gallen, Luke Lewis

News_Image_File: Tactics will vary on Trent Merrin.

7. Dragons (rounds 11 and 18)

Lowdown: Initial bye falls on the first tough week (round 11), before a huge gap until the next break (round 18), which falls on an easy week. Origin players, including Trent Merrin and Josh Dugan, miss four weeks.

Tactics: Avoid early before loading up after round 11 as it's near-clear sailing from there, with only the easier bye in round 18 to deal with. In terms of Origin players, it's touch and go whether to sell a gun like Merrin over the Origin period given he misses four games. A final decision will depend on individual team balance and trades.

Potential bye-period purchases: Jason Nightingale, Mitch Rein

Buys pending Origin selections: None

Origin certainties: Trent Merrin, Josh Dugan, Brett Morris

8. Panthers (rounds 11 and 15)

Lowdown: The early bye on a tough week (round 11) is a killer, but round 15 shouldn't throw up too many dramas.

Tactics: Avoid early before loading up after round 11 given round 15 will be relatively easy to negotiate.

Potential bye-period purchases: James Segeyaro, Josh Mansour, Eto Nabuli (potential cheapie), Bryce Cartwright (potential cheapie)

Buys pending Origin selections: Tim Grant

Origin certainties: None

News_Image_File: Cameron Smith is a must for round one given his bye schedule.

9. Eels, Knights, Storm (rounds 11 and 17)

Lowdown: Both byes fall on tough weeks, but the huge gap in between will be handy. Origin players, including Jarryd Hayne, Cameron Smith and Billy Slater, miss just three games.

Tactics: Avoid early before loading up post round 11. Then sell for round 17, or even hold depending on team situation and trades. Jarryd Hayne (the best back in SuperCoach history), Cameron Smith (the best hooker in SuperCoach history) and Billy Slater (the reigning best fullback in SuperCoach) are all potential holds over Origin as they may only miss three games.

Potential bye-period purchases: Tim Mannah, Nathan Peats (potential cheapie), Josh Mantellato (potential cheapie), Robbie Rochow, Jesse Bromwich, Will Chambers, Cody Walker (potential cheapie), Ben Hampton (potential cheapie), Hymel Hunt (potential cheapie)

Buys pending Origin selections: Will Hopoate, Ryan Hoffman

Origin certainties: Jarryd Hayne, Darius Boyd, Cameron Smith, Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk

10. Sea Eagles (rounds 11 and 14)

Lowdown: The worst bye schedule early on with two tough byes. But great purchases post round 14.

Tactics: The two early byes will be diabolical, but players like Jamie Lyon will be essential purchases post round 14 because the Sea Eagles are the first team to finish their byes (equal with the Sharks).

Potential bye-period purchases: Jamie Lyon, Jorge Taufua

Buys pending Origin selections: Glenn Stewart

Origin certainties: Anthony Watmough, Daly Cherry-Evans