David, the father of the Canberra Raiders young gun, comes across as exactly that. Preferring to just enjoy his son's State of Origin debut for the NSW Blues.

Happy to have a chat, but not overly keen for a photo. Preferring to stay in the background knowing all the years of him and wife Draga driving their son around had paid off.

All Cotric's and their dreams will come true on Wednesday night when he runs onto Suncorp Stadium for Origin I.

The parents will be there. You bet. Got there on Tuesday and will stay there to bask in the glory of a win over Queensland. ("You've got to be confident.")

"We're very proud of him. As a kid he's always grown up hoping to play NRL and Origin and I guess he's got there. We're very proud of him. I don't know what else to say. All these years of driving him to sport," David said.

"It's one of those things he's always hoped for and wished for, and we have as well. To actually get the chance now is a dream come true. I'm sure he'll get out there and do his best for NSW."

Cotric grew up playing everything he could, but rugby league was always the one.

The sport he chose when his dad said it was time to pick between all the football codes when he was about 15. The NRL and Origin was always the dream.

From the Tuggeranong Valley Dragons, he came through the Canberra representative teams. First the Raiders under-16s. Then the 18s. Then the 20s. Skipped reserve grade and went straight into the NRL.

Made his debut against the North Queensland Cowboys in Townsville in round one, 2016. His parents went up for that as well. Played 59 straight and if it wasn't for NSW coach Brad Fittler his streak would still be going.

But his Origin call-up meant the Canterbury Bulldogs game on Saturday was the first one he's missed.

His rise has been stunning. Answering every challenge thrown his way with wide-eyed enthusiasm and seeming ease.

Left wing. Fullback. Right wing. Right centre. Whatever he's been asked to do, he's done. Smiling along the way.

"It came a bit quicker than I thought. I thought it might take a bit longer in the lower grades before he went up, but Ricky must've seen something in him and he's done quite well since," David said.

"We've all been very surprised and happy for him. It was a lot of commitment and driving every day - mornings and afternoons, the whole lot.

"He's rapt. You just look at the smile on his face every time you see him."

Cotric's roots lie in Serbia. On both sides of the family. From the same small town near the nation's capital, Belgrade.

His mother Draga was born there. His father's father was born there.

David was born in Sydney, grew up in Orange and moved to Canberra when he was 15 to start an apprenticeship in the building industry.

A year-long trip to Europe got the family, which includes brother Ilija, started.

"I'm half Serbian, half Austrian, born here in Sydney and raised in Orange, and my wife's got the Serbian background as well," David said.

"I met my wife overseas. I went overseas for a year, just travelled around Europe and that's how I ended up meeting her there in my dad's hometown. Met her there.

"One of those funny sort of things I never really expected and it just happens."

Along with the smile that hasn't stopped shining since he was picked, Cotric's probably also carrying a football.

It's been a constant companion over the years.

"From day one it was always about the sport, he just loved it. I think he even went to bed with the footy half the time," his dad laughed.

"He's still got the footy roaming all over the place, even in the house. He's not going to bed with it. Not now."