Another star performance from Cronulla Sharks' halfback Nicho Hynes has coach Craig Fitzgibbon confident he can handle the State of Origin arena.
Hynes is likely to be in a two-way race for the New South Wales Blues' number six jersey against Jarome Luai to partner Nathan Cleary in the halves.
The opening game of the series, to be played in Adelaide on May 31, will see teams picked on Sunday, May 21 following the completion of Round 12, meaning there are another five rounds to be played before then.
Despite that, coach Fitzgibbon said Hynes has done more than enough to prove he is ready for the environment of Origin.
"He is fearless. We keep saying it, he works at it. He goes for it and doesn't stop going for it. He could handle that [Origin]. He is ready for it," Fitzgibbon said.
"It's not up to me to make the selections, but yes."
Despite likely being in a battle for the starting side, Hynes said he would be more than happy playing off the bench if that's where Origin coach Brad Fittler selects him.
"Look, it has been a dream of mine forever," Hynes said.
"I've been involved in the series for the last couple of years as 18th man. I want to get that one jersey smaller to run out in the Origin arena, but you can't be up for selection if you're not playing good football for the Sharks. All I'm worried about is winning games here."
The Sharks, who improved their record to three and three in beating the Roosters 22 points to 12 on Friday evening, were able to rebound from a shock loss to the New Zealand Warriors at home last week.
Hynes was at his usual best during the performance, running for 190 metres, adding a try assist and making a pair of line breaks while also directing the kicking game.
While he plays in the number seven for the Sharks, there is little doubt about his ability to transition into the five-eighth role at Origin level. Should there be any issues with Nathan Cleary, it's almost unarguable to say Hynes will move into the halfback slot.
Asked what makes Hynes so good, Fitzgibbon said it was all about work ethic, also suggesting it was that which earned him his long-term contract extension with the club.
"About time he had a crack," Fitzgibbon said with a laugh on Hynes.
"The show of faith from the club to have that extension locked in is a sign of what we think about him, what we feel about him and how much we believe in him.
"The thing that's most impressive is that every day he walks in the door, he works hard. He doesn't stop. It's not a talent thing, obviously he is extremely talented, I'm not underestimating that part of his game, but it's hard work and effort and he doesn't stop trying.
"He walks in day after day after day the same. It's really good for the club."
Hynes was keener to talk about the club though, suggesting his side needed to learn plenty from the win over the Roosters.
After falling apart in the finals last season, a second-placed regular season finish turning into a straight sets bomb out over the next two weeks against the North Queensland Cowboys and South Sydney Rabbitohs, Hynes said it was the little moments in games the Sharks needed to start winning.
"Just playing the long game," Hynes said on effort against the Roosters.
"Sometimes we get guilty of blowing teams off the park early and not playing the full 80 minutes. My mindset this week was to kick us into good positions and put us in places to win the game.
"I felt like I let the team down against the Warriors by not putting us into good positions, so I wanted to make up for that this week. I thought that if we keep playing the way we can play, keep turning them around, we have the football ability and the fitness to win the game. It did come down to the last five or ten minutes where we scored a couple of tries. It's good to win games like that, and in the bigger games, that's how you have to win footy games."
