Cronulla Sharks star Blayke Brailey is ready to turn a lifelong dream of donning the sky blue into reality.
Growing in confidence, skill and class each year since his NRL debut in 2019, Brailey is strongly firming for the dummy half role for Laurie Daley's NSW Blues.
After his selection for the Ashes tour in England last October, it has primed the star hooker for an opportunity to run out for New South Wales for an Origin debut at the end of May.
The Blues will name their squad in roughly three weeks, and Brailey is hoping to receive the phone call to say he's ready for rugby league's biggest arena.
Given that a long-term injury has unfortunately seen Panthers hooker Mitch Kenny ruled out of contention, and Tigers star Apisai Koroisau smacked with a three-game ban, Brailey is closer than ever to an Origin berth.
The reigning Dally M Hooker of the Year is bristling with confidence when on the field, and outlined his ambition to wear the sky blue given he believes his current form is his best to date.
"I definitely think I'm ready," Brailey told Zero Tackle.
"I feel like the performances I've been putting out are really consistent, and I'm in the best shape and best performance (period) I've been in my career.
"Hopefully I do get that phone call, I dream about it, I've been working hard for it, so hopefully that does.
"But it's that old cliche of just focus on my club and that stuff will come. But I'm definitely not hiding away from the fact that I want to be there."
It isn't just a pay-day for Brailey, but a passion that runs deep from his childhood, revealing that the Origin arena played a massive role in his upbringing.
It included watching former teammate and Sharks legend Paul Gallen dominate the stage with his high-octane and tenacious fortitude when he stepped onto the Origin arena.
"I felt like growing up, the Origin series probably determined how I felt of the year," he added.
"If we lost, I'd be annoyed and pissed off, and I'll be going to school angry, like all the New South Wales fans were, and then if they won it, yeah, one of the best feelings.
"I've grown up watching it, obviously watch 'Gal' perform there and do the club and the state really proud.
"I definitely want that opportunity and hopefully I can be there with a couple of the other boys in the sheds too."
The Shire-raised junior was rewarded for his stellar 2025 season with a selection in Kevin Walters' Ashes side.
"It was obviously a great experience going over there," he revealed upon reflection of the tour.
"I've been to England once before, and to go again on an Ashes tour was really special."
Despite not playing a game for Australia, Brailey outlined the significance of being part of the extended squad and the teachings it provided him to excel at club-land.
"I know, speaking to my dad especially, spoke about the Ashes tour when he was coming through and the significance of that and how special it was to be part of that first group that (was) brought back into the rep side of rugby league, being a part of that squad was amazing."
Being surrounded by some of the game's most elite talent, including Isaah Yeo, Nathan Cleary and Harry Grant, taught Brailey the discipline and leadership qualities needed to rise to the representative stage.
"Just the things I learnt, to rub shoulders with the best players in the world was unbelievable, and although I didn't get to play, I'll jump on that flight and be a part of that tour every year just to be part of that and to learn some things that I learnt," Brailey continued.
"I was really grateful that 'Kevvy' brought me along and I could be a part of that, and I've learned a lot of good lessons and made a lot of great memories from that tour."
Brailey joined the NSW team for Game 1 in 2023, with former coach Brad Fittler bringing him into the Blues camp as an extended squad member.
Since then, he hasn't featured in the NSW rep squad despite going up multiple gears in the past few seasons.
State of Origin titles have consistently been synonymous with defensive reliability, an area Brailey has excelled in during his career.
In his breakout season last year, he made over 1100 tackles, solidifying his status as a defensive workhorse.
To start 2026, he is averaging 44.5 tackles per game and showcasing a rate of 97.1% tackle efficiency.
After failing to close out the series in a decider in Sydney, losing 24-12 last year, Daley will be closely monitoring Brailey's defensive prowess in a crucial three-week window before selection.
