It's a Melbourne Storm reunion that Brett White hopes will be a stepping stone to becoming a head coach.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
White was excited to be back in the State of Origin arena as a NSW Blues assistant coach, having played eight games for the Blues in 2007-10.
He missed working with new Blues coach Michael Maguire at the Canberra Raiders, having left the Green Machine to join the Gold Coast Titans last year.
But the pair know each other from White's Storm playing days - when Maguire was an assistant there.
Maguire rang the former prop a few weeks ago to offer him a job as an Origin assistant, continuing White's coaching journey having started out at the Raiders following his retirement as a player in 2014.
It's not the only Blues links with the Storm, with White's fellow assistant Matt King a former Melbourne teammate.
Maguire has also called on Storm football manager Frank Ponissi to be the NSW team performance manager.
White went straight from playing to the Raiders' coaching ranks, working his way up to be one of Canberra coach Ricky Stuart's assistants.
He's just started working under new Titans coach Des Hasler after his first season on the Gold Coast.
The 41-year-old also had the chance to be one of Mal Meninga's Australian assistants during the Pacific Championships a few weeks ago.
It's meant he's already worked with a who's who of rugby league coaching - Stuart, Meninga, Hasler, Craig Bellamy from his time as a player, and now Maguire.
White hoped his upcoming Blues gig would eventually become a stepping stone.
"You know what rugby league's like - you've got to get the timing right," he said.
"Everyone has their goals and it's all part of that, but really gaining that experience before taking that step is important.
"This is just another part of the experience. I was lucky enough to spend all that time with Rick down at the Raiders and really good times down there.
"Obviously coming up to the Titans and experiencing the changes up here that have happened.
"I was involved with Mal in the off-season with the Australian side and that's ongoing as well.
"Certainly going to be a busy year next year with Origin and I think there'll be the Four Nations at the end of the year.
"You've got to make hay while the sun shines and just lapping up the exposure to those environments and those coaches that I get to work with.
"Hopefully if the time's right into the future maybe an opportunity will come up at some stage, but certainly not rushing it."
He was excited about the opportunity - especially given the people he'll be working with. People he's known for a long time.
It's a Blues Storm cloud hoping to end NSW's Origin drought after Queensland won the past two series - under the guidance of another former Melbourne player, Billy Slater.
"Madge gave me a call last week or the week before, asked me to come on board," White told The Canberra Times.
"It was a bit of a silly question to be asking me - I'd jump at that opportunity to be back in that environment, that arena and be involved in it.
"It's such a big thing in our game and to be a part of it - especially the way he's gone about it with his staff being a new sort of team and the people he's put together.
"Some of those people I've got good, strong, long-term relationships with and really value those people that he's put in a group together. It's really exciting to be a part of that group."
It was too early for White to know exactly what his role will be.
That's something that will take shape over the coming months given Origin I at Homebush isn't until June 5.
But it's obvious where White's strengths lie.
Aside from already knowing exactly what Origin's all about, as a former forward White obviously understands the middle of the park - where the "main men" are.
He's also passionate about the defensive side of the game and was the Raiders' wrestling coach before he left for the Gold Coast.
"We'll work through that over the next little while. It's early days yet," White said.
"It's where my heart lies and passion is - the defensive side of it and I've got a soft spot for the forwards.
"They're the main men in a football team."