Try telling Cameron McInnes that Sunday's City-Country clash doesn't mean anything.
While the final instalment of the fixture has descended into farce after a swathe of players made themselves unavailable and City coach Brad Fittler struggled to cobble together 17 players, it shapes as an important rung on the ladder for McInnes.
The tough-as-teak St George Illawarra hooker bleeds blue and is in a battle along with Damien Cook and Nathan Peats to take the NSW Origin No.9 jersey off Robbie Farah.
When he lines up for City at Mudgee on Sunday, it will be opposite former South Sydney teammate Cook and it shapes as a prime chance to impress Blues coach Laurie Daley and his selectors.
When asked if he thinks there's Blue jumpers up for grabs at Glen Willow Oval, McInnes said he thinks there are.
"If you look at some of the players, Jimmy Tamou and Matty Moylan have played for Australia and with Gal (Paul Gallen) and those guys moving on from Origin, there's some spots opened up there," McInnes said.
"If people put their best foot forward, continue their club form and have a strong game I'm sure it's going to help their chances.
"As far as people writing the game off, I couldn't care less, I want to play for City, it means something to me."
McInnes has emerged as a possible Origin bolter after piloting the Dragons to a 6-3 start to the season and second spot.
There would be a touch of irony if Farah's NSW No.9 jersey was assumed by McInnes after Farah's arrival at South Sydney precipitated McInnes being moved on to the Dragons.
McInnes says he's a more relaxed person now compared to the one who never fulfilled his promise at the Rabbitohs, when he was burdened by an impatient mentality.
"When you're young, you put a lot of pressure on yourself and you want everything right away. You want to play well but you can't try to force things," McInnes said.
And now with his first City jersey, McInnes has a chance to prove his class and that he belongs on the rep scene.
"Everyone who plays NRL is a good player," McInnes said.
"And when you come into a rep team, you get surrounded by quality players and you're going to play well, you might play better than you ever have, you take that confidence back to club level.
"In terms of people saying some people don't deserve a spot or it's a farce, every year I've watched it it's been a high-quality game. Isn't that what fans want? I don't really understand the backlash."
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