City skipper Ryan Hoffman has revealed he turned down an offer from coach Brad Fittler to sit out Sunday's clash with Country, in a bid to boost his NSW selection chances.
The annual representative fixture had again been hit with question marks over its relevance after a number of stars were ruled out of the match and others rested.
But Melbourne star Hoffman was adamant he wanted to take the field at Apex Oval.
"Fred asked me if I needed the week off because I had some niggles at the start of the year," Hoffman said on Saturday.
"But the back-row is the most hotly contested position with the amount of high quality players NSW have and it has been for the last 10 years.
"So I see it as an opportunity, as an extra opportunity besides club football to boost my chances. I have always enjoyed playing it and I have always seen it as a State of Origin trial.
"It is a chance as a group of blokes to give each other a hand.
"Why wouldn't I play? It is an Origin trial."
As a decorated representative player, with five Tests and eight Origin appearances to his name, Hoffman could have opted out.
Fittler said his week started off on the right note when Hoffman said he wanted to play.
"I think our backrow isn't solved for NSW, I just explained the situation after I spoke to Laurie," Fittler said.
"I said it is purely up to you, given he was there and did it last year and he has played Origin and played for Australia.
"He called me back in a couple of hours and said 'I would love to'.
"So (Country coach) Trent Barrett and I are pretty careful when we select these teams to pick people who want to be here.
"You are passing down an attitude to the younger kids and all week Ryan has been great.
"It game me a boost.
"There are always knockers and it gives me a boost that people still want to play rep footy and don't necessarily listen to their coach.
"It is encouraging.
"It is important that we take it out of the coaches' hands.
"That we set up rules and guidelines that everyone abides by.
"Coaches are the last ones who we should be asking who should be playing rep footy."
Share
