A crash course from Cameron Smith may await but new Queensland hooker Ben Hunt is confident he can not only start but play the full 80 minutes in next week's State of Origin opener.
Hunt is looking forward to a visit from ex-skipper and legendary rake Smith in the Maroons camp this week to brush up on the finer points of wearing the No.9 jersey.
With his NRL club Melbourne enjoying a bye, Smith will visit to provide tips for Hunt at Camp Maroon in Brisbane after the Queensland great played down speculation he would launch an Origin comeback.
"Smithy has been the best nine in our game ever and the things I try and take out of his game is his calmness and the speed he plays the game," Hunt said of Smith's looming visit.
"Hopefully, we can get him into camp later in the week and I can learn a bit off him."
St George Illawarra No.7 Hunt appeared to need all the help he could get after being named as Queensland hooker for the June 5 opener.
Twelve months after being unveiled as Queensland's No.7, Hunt was thrust into the raking role following injuries to incumbent Andrew McCullough and Sydney Roosters No.9 Jake Friend with Smith enjoying representative retirement.
There was even speculation the likes of rookie utility Moses Mbye or lock Josh McGuire would start at No.9 in Origin I with coach Kevin Walters injecting the pint-sized Hunt off the bench.
But Hunt claimed he could handle his new role after coming off the bench to shine at hooker in 2018 Origin III, chiming into Queensland's 18-12 dead rubber win.
Hunt also cited his successful stint as hooker for Brisbane before leaving for the Dragons in 2017.
"I'm ready. It still feels just as special as the first call I got from Kevvie to play seven," he said.
"I've got no problems starting. I'd rather start at nine than come off the bench.
"And going back to my time at the Broncos, I feel I can handle a full 80 minutes in the middle in Origin."
Hunt started the first two games last year as Maroons No.7 before being dumped to the bench for Origin III.
But he did not feel he had to prove a point after his starting team return, claiming he had already done it in their 2018 Origin III win.
"It was something I wanted to do going into game three after being dropped, I wanted to prove I belong in that arena," he said.
"I just wanted to forget about everything that happened and enjoy myself and rip in - I believe that's what I did."
