Ben Hunt was taken aback when he was told about Cooper Cronk's representative retirement but hopes to be the beneficiary of the Sydney Roosters star recruit's desire to focus on club football.
Hunt stands on the cusp of solidifying his spot in the Queensland and Australian 17 following the departing Melbourne champion's decision to bow out of State of Origin and Test football.
Next year will signal a changing of the guard for both the Maroons and Kangaroos with halves partner Johnathan Thurston also giving up representative football.
North Queensland's Michael Morgan and Melbourne's Cameron Munster lead the pack to form the next representative scrumbase partnership. However, Hunt is on the periphery of the conversation.
He earned his State of Origin debut in game three this year and played one game in Australia's World Cup campaign.
Hunt, who will depart Brisbane for St George Illawarra in the off-season, said he was hopeful of becoming a representative regular in the post-Cronk era.
"It spurs you on to want to play more," Hunt said.
"I got the one game (during the World Cup) and the last three weeks, it was a bit strange, you feel a bit on the side. But it makes you want to play harder.
"It's where everyone wants to get to. I've had that little taste now, it's the next step."
Hunt was surprised when he had news broken to him about Cronk's rep retirement, believing he would play on in 2018.
Having proven himself versatile playing at hooker during Brisbane's last month of the season, he shapes as a possible bench utility option for Queensland and Australia but will have his mind set on claiming a starting halves position.
Queensland coach Kevin Walters is not short on playmaking options with Daly Cherry-Evans, Anthony Milford, Corey Norman and Ash Taylor also in the mix.
While James Maloney will have his eye on the Australian No.6 jumper after being part of their World Cup campaign.
"The next couple of years I think it's going to be big changes for both Queensland and Australia," Hunt said.
"I think we've seen it coming for a long time now. They're some great sides and they're ageing a bit. Hopefully they're ready."
