In less than 12 hours, 34 of rugby league's best young players will face off against each other in the annual U19s State of Origin match between the NSW Blues and QLD Maroons.
While all eyes will be fixated on the trio of Coby Black, Mitchell Woods, and Toby Rodwell, another playmaker that will compete on Thursday has arguably had a better 12 months than all three players.
Labelled as a "prodigy" by Titans teammate Keano Kini, Zane Harrison has been one of the standouts in the Queensland system for several years but took his game to new heights during the 2024 campaign.
This saw him guide the Tweed Heads Seagulls to a 24-point win over Coby Black's Burleigh Bears in the Mal Meninga Cup Grand Final.
He then claimed the 2024 Peter Sterling Medal - an award that has been claimed by the likes of Lachlan Galvin, Payne Haas and David Fifita in recent years - after leading Palm Beach Currumbin to winning the 2024 Allan Langer Trophy and the 2024 Schoolboys Cup National Final.
Despite only ever being involved in the Gold Coast pathways, the playmaker will represent the Blues on Thursday night, having been born in Tweed Heads - the northernmost town in New South Wales and sitting right on the border with Queensland.
"It's my biggest accomplishment in my stage of footy at the moment," Harrison toldย Zero Tackleย in the lead-up to the match on the Sunshine Coast.
"To put on the Blues' jersey, I'm so grateful for it and can't wait.
"It's always enjoyable when you come in with all the best Under-19s in your state, and it's exciting to be around players like that, and you can learn a lot off them."
The only Gold Coast Titans player that has been named to represent the Blues, Harrison, will come face-to-face against six of his club teammates: Javon Andrews, Cooper Bai, Sunny Kama, Ray Puru, Bodhi Sharpley and Sam Stephenson.
"They're my teammates at the Titans, but when I come up against them on Thursday, they're not my mates," Harrison said.
"I can't wait for that challenge."
