Corey Horsburgh admits he was starstruck hanging out with childhood heroes Billy Slater, Cameron Smith and Jonathon Thurston in Queensland's State of Origin camp.
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But Canberra's powerful forward has declared he's ready to get to work and do a job for his state if Maroons coach Slater calls out his name for game three after doing the 19th man role last time out.
Horsburgh is the leading contender to replace injured prop Tom Flegler in the Queensland side and did his chances no harm with a gutsy 110m, 46-tackle display in the Raiders' 26-22 win against the Gold Coast on Saturday.
He added hard-nosed duo Petero Civoniceva and Matt Gillett to his list of Maroons idols, but Horsburgh admitted he'd had to try and play it cool in camp with the coaching staff.
"It was a 'pinch-yourself' moment," he said.
"You fanboy for a little bit, then you've got to realise you're playing footy and you've got a job to do and all that jazz.
"So it was cool, but you can't dwell on it, and you've just gotta talk to them like they're normal blokes.
"(My Origin idols) were the three that were the coaches - Billy Slater, Cam Smith, JT. I loved Petero when he was playing, Matt Gillett was a gun, I used to love watching him too.
"I loved them all, just watching them pump the Blues ... eight in a row was the best time ever."
Canberra coach Ricky Stuart noticed Horsburgh was "buzzing" returning to clubland from the Queensland camp and the player agreed it was the perfect inspiration to try to take his game to new heights.
It's not as if he's failing to make an impact as is, pumping out a career-high 96m and 36 tackles per game for the Raiders.
"I realised that's where I want to be and If I'm going to get there, I know I'll have to play some good footy," Horsburgh said.
"I really took away from it how special it is and how cool it was and how being around people like JT, Cameron Smith, that's something that I want to be a part of."
The Maroons' 2-0 lead might have already wrapped the series up but a proud Queensland like Horsburgh says you'd be a fool to think it lowers the stakes of an Origin much, if at all.
"I wouldn't say any Origin could be a dead rubber," he said.
"It will probably be the toughest game out of three - the Blues aren't gonna want to get wiped by Queensland, and Queensland are gonna want to wipe them.
"There's a few fellas playing good and if I get the crack, I'd love to.
"That decision is out of my hands, if I don't play I won't kick stones but I'd love to play."
Australian Associated Press
