It's not just about showing what he's capable of on the State of Origin stage.
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It's about showing the people that have stuck by him, including NSW coach Brad Fittler.
It's also about showing himself.
It will be Hudson Young's second Origin, with the Canberra Raiders second-rower making his debut in the series opener in Adelaide.
Fittler kept faith with Young and kept him in the second row for game two against Queensland at Lang Park on Wednesday.
Having lost Origin I, Young said they knew what was at stake - needing to win to keep the series alive going into game three at Homebush next month.
The 25-year-old only played 31 minutes of the opener, but will be hoping for much more game time - and the chance to show exactly what he was capable of at this level.
Raiders coach Ricky Stuart said Young was "born to play Origin", while also saying the star second-rower played his best football under fatigue at the back end of the game.
Young was excited at the opportunity to prove Stuart right - and produce the football that got him selected in the first place.
He's emerged as one of the most exciting backrowers in the game with the ability to produce match-winning moments out of nothing.
"One hundred per cent [I want to show everyone what I'm capable of]. And it's about showing myself and the people who stick by me," Young said.
"I'm really happy 'Freddy' [Fittler] stuck by me as well.
"But at the end of the day it's a game of footy and I'm going to back the way I play my footy - that's what got me here in the first place."
There was talk Young might miss out on Origin II - given his lack of game time in the opener - with Penrith second-rower Liam Martin expected to come in.
But Fittler has stood by him, with Martin still undergoing concussion protocols through until Tuesday - the captain's run's the earliest he'll be able to participate in contact training.
Young was never concerned he'd miss out - that's just part and parcel of being a footballer.
"I don't think I was worried mate. Obviously you grow up with highs and lows in footy and it was just another one of those things," he said.
"Obviously there's going to be chat out there when you don't win and I probably didn't play my best game, but that's a part of footy and they're the highs and lows we must ride."
Young was expecting a hostile reception from a packed Lang Park.
Aside from his Origin debut at the neutral Adelaide Oval, the closest he's come to what awaits was the 2020 preliminary final against the Melbourne Storm at Lang Park - which had a crowd of 37,000.
That will ramp up to more than 50,000 Caxton Street-fuelled Maroons fans come Wednesday.
"Obviously it's going to be a hostile environment, but it's something you pride yourself on as a kid growing up is to play in these games and to challenge yourself," Young said.
"It will be no different for me come Wednesday.
"It's obviously going to be loud mate, but once you're out there - I've played in prelims and stuff like that - so having that crowd, you probably just block it out and get on with the job."
"Creating history" seems to be the Blues' mantra as they need to do exactly that to keep the series alive.
They were in the box seat to start the series with a win in Adelaide, leading 18-16 with seven minutes remaining before conceding two late tries.
The Blues have only ever won one game two at Lang Park when trying to keep the series alive - way back in 1998.
But it's a challenge Young was relishing and something that drove him to be his best.
He'll be part of a reshuffled NSW left edge - albeit one that he was part of in Origin I - following the withdrawal of Latrell Mitchell (calf) last week, which has seen Panthers centre Stephen Crichton come into the 13.
"We know what's at stake. It's a must-win for us to keep the series alive," Young said.
"It's the challenges that drive you every day and it's going to be no different to go up there and create our own history."
STATE OF ORIGIN II
Wednesday: Queensland Maroons v NSW Blues at Lang Park, 8.05pm.
Maroons squad: 1. Reece Walsh, 2. Xavier Coates, 3. Valentine Holmes, 4. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, 5. Murray Taulagi, 6. Cameron Munster, 7. Daly Cherry-Evans, 8. Lindsay Collins, 9. Ben Hunt, 10. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, 11. David Fifita, 12. Jeremiah Nanai, 13. Patrick Carrigan. Interchange: 14. Harry Grant, 15. Tom Flegler, 16. Reuben Cotter, 17. Moeaki Fotuaika. Reserves: 18. AJ Brimson, 19. Corey Horsburgh.
Blues squad: 1 James Tedesco, 2 Josh Addo-Carr, 3 Latrell Mitchell, 4 Tom Trbojevic, 5 Brian To'o, 6 Jarome Luai, 7 Mitchell Moses, 8 Payne Haas, 9 Damien Cook, 10 Junior Paulo, 11 Tyson Frizell, 12 Hudson Young, 13 Isaah Yeo. Interchange: 14 Reece Robson, 15 Cameron Murray, 16 Liam Martin, 17 Stefano Utoikamanu. Reserves: 18 Stephen Crichton. 19 Keaon Koloamatangi.
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