Daly Cherry-Evans was on the representative outer until last week but the Manly captain could soon find himself in an Australian jersey to go with his Queensland one.
Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has heaped praise on the halfback following his sensational comeback to the Maroons side in their 18-12 game three win against NSW.
Cherry-Evans hadn't played for Queensland since 2015 before Wednesday night following speculation the playmaker had fallen out with the Maroons.
His last Australian cap came even before that - in 2014, when the Kangaroos lost the Four Nations final to New Zealand.
But with his run of form and the representative retirements of Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk, he's bolted into the frame for the Kangaroos' end-of-year Test against New Zealand.
When asked if Cherry-Evans' Origin performance could see him back in the Australian team, Meninga said: "Absolutely".
"It depends now on club form and Manly won't make the final eight, I wouldn't think," he said in Canberra on Friday.
"But it puts him in the forefront, there's no doubt about that."
Meninga said Cherry Evans' game was "fantastic" and believed his efforts were the difference in tiring out the Blues' defence.
"I thought (Cherry-Evans') control was excellent, his management was excellent and his kicking game was the best I've seen from anyone at that level for a long, long time," Meninga said.
Cherry-Evans will likely battle it out with Maroons teammate Cameron Munster and Penrith's James Maloney for a starting spot in the halves.
