IT’S LIKE A FAMILY

Last year was my fourth Origin series and first series win. I ticked another box. It was something I’d dreamt about doing since I was a kid. Hopefully, there will be a few more. It’s going to be tough this year, just like it was last year, but I can’t wait.

It makes me so happy to see what it means to a bloke like Cody Walker to be making his debut for the Blues. He made his NRL debut as an older player and now he’s doing the same in Origin, so he’s proving that it’s never too late.

I’m proud of him. He’s an awesome player and I think he’s going to do a great job. He’s hungry to play and he’s going to back his ability. We all know what he can do.

It’s hard not having my old mate Aaron Woods in the team, but he had some bad luck and that’s the way it goes in footy sometimes. He started off the season really well, but then he got injured and couldn’t push his claims.

I felt that bad for him, but he’ll be back in a couple of weeks and I can’t wait to watch him play again and rip in. He’s a great player and he’ll come back better than ever. I’m looking forward to playing alongside him again for NSW and Australia in the future. I’m convinced that will happen.

It’s like a family at the Blues. We’re all pretty close. The boys who have been there before were comfortable with each other again straightaway and the new blokes only needed 24 hours in camp to fit in. It’s a very welcoming environment and the culture we’ve built there now is awesome.

NO-ONE WANTS TO BE THAT MAN

I feel the same way about the Knights. It’s not like being in Sydney. We’re the only team up here and we really stick together.

I could see the potential before I signed up. Blokes who had joined from other clubs and had been there for at least a year. Young blokes coming through who now had a couple of seasons in first grade behind them.

There were a lot of expectations on us this year, but after we won our first game against the Sharks I think we all thought it was just going to happen and we went into a slump and lost five in a row.

Now we’ve come good and won five in a row, but we won’t be getting ahead of ourselves. We know how dangerous that is. We’re travelling OK, but we’ve still got a lot to work on.

Mitchell Pearce has been enormous through our recent run. He has worked on his leadership skills and taken on a big role in that area. The way he’s approached his football, the energy he’s given to the club, it’s been fantastic.

Nathan Brown as coach knows when and how to tweak your game for the better. He’s done that with me. He’s very passionate about the footy club.

Kalyn Ponga just keeps getting better. He doesn’t just go out there and turn it on magically, although that’s what it might look like. He’s always working on things, always doing video. He’s special on the field because of his preparation off it.

It’s great to be around him. He’s a humble young bloke who loves life and I can’t speak highly enough of his character. Now he’s the number one for Queensland in Origin I and that’s how it should be.

We know we’ve all got to be on our game around him. Any hint of open space and he can kill you. We have to support each other to keep the defence tight, because if he can isolate you one-on-one you’ll probably end up grasping at thin air. No-one wants to be that man.