After his latest, perhaps closest brush with Origin selection, NZ Warriors hooker Wayde Egan is relishing an immediate chance to measure himself against one of the NRL's best in his position.
By Grant Chapman of RNZ
Egan, along with front-rowers Mitch Barnett and Jackson Ford, were reportedly instructed to pack extra underwear for last week's road trip to Brisbane, indicating he might sneak into the New South Wales squad for the State of Origin opener next Wednesday.
Ultimately, his name wasn't among those announced by Blues coach Laurie Daley, but the Warriors dummy half seems unperturbed by his apparent snub.
"Any time you get chucked up, it's nice to hear about it," Egan said. "It would be nice to make it one day, but it's pretty cool to get your name thrown in the hat in that arena.
"I'm just trying to put my best foot forward for the Warriors and whatever happens, happens."
Egan, 29, traditionally enjoys a fast start to the NRL season and has become an integral part of his team's championship hopes, without quite cracking the next level.
"I've been in the conversation a couple of times and any time that happens is pretty special.
"You get told to pack your suitcases and you never know what could happen.
"They obviously pick the team and the guys that don't get picked don't get picked.
"There's nothing much to it and it's probably the same with any team – if you get picked, you get a phone call, and if you don't get picked, you don't get the phone call."
Egan's consolation prize is a head-to-head match-up with St George-Illawarra Dragons veteran Damien Cook, who held that same NSW No.9 jersey for six years and 17 appearances, before falling out of favour in 2024.
At the peak of his powers, he also logged four tests for the Kangaroos.
Only Newcastle Knights hooker Phoenix Crossland (483) and Melbourne Storm's Harry Grant (47) had made more tackles than Cook (455) through 11 rounds of the 2026 NRL, and he ranked just behind Egan (43) in dummy half runs (40).
Despite the Dragons' horrid recent form, Cook, 34, remains one of the best around, but not for too much longer, after announcing his departure for Castleford in the British Super League after this season.
This shapes as the case of a heavyweight title wannabe using the former champ as a yardstrick for his career.
"Damien Cook has been a great player for a long time and someone I've watched closely, especially coming into first grade," Egan said.
"He's done a lot of great stuff and, watching some video on him today, he's still playing as good as he ever has.
"It's always cool to match up against good dummy halves and it will be no different come Saturday."
Rapid NSW supporter Webster sympathises with Egan's Origin omission.
"There's some great hookers in the game and you've got to ask the coaches why they don't pick him.
"We love him, and I personally believe he's up to Origin level and would do a great job for New South Wales.
"I don't pick the team, I focus on the Warriors and, whenever he's with us, it's a bonus, but if he played in that arena, we know he'd kill it."
Despite his stellar form this season, Ford was also deemed surplus to requirements by Daley and must now bury that disappointment to return to where his NRL career began with the Dragons in 2019.
"He's professional," Webster said. "It's pretty obvious he wanted to play.
"He's passionate about New South Wales, but he's probably very motivated to play his best football and continue winning here.
"He'll start this week, with Mitch Barnett not there, and he'll get back to playing the way he plays."
NRL: NZ Warriors v St George-Illawarra Dragons
Kickoff 7.30pm NZT, Saturday, May 23
Jubilee Stadium, Kogarah
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