Four years ago Cameron Munster was "stressing" over whether he would make it as an NRL footballer.
Now Munster faces another nerve-wracking prospect: stepping up as Queensland five-eighth on State of Origin debut.
Munster will replace injured veteran five-eighth Johnathan Thurston (shoulder) in Wednesday night's series decider at Suncorp Stadium after holding off Michael Morgan's challenge.
The Melbourne playmaker will don the Maroons No.6 jersey made famous his idol Darren Lockyer after just 57 NRL games.
It's enough to make anyone's head spin.
Especially Munster who thought the NRL had passed him by in 2013.
Overlooked after a Broncos trial, an 18-year-old Munster feared he would languish in the second-tier Queensland Cup with Central Capras in his home town of Rockhampton.
A consoling word from Capras coach - former Queensland hardman Jason Hetherington - helped a teenage Munster refocus with almost immediate results.
After turning heads against Storm feeder club Brisbane Easts, Munster was snapped up by the Storm by June 2013.
"I was stressing out to be honest when I was 18 playing Q Cup," Munster said.
"I trialled for the Broncos under-20s at one stage and they weren't interested and I thought 'this might be it'.
"But I was talking to Jason and he said keep doing what you are doing and anything can happen.
"I was lucky to play a good game against their feeder club Easts Tigers and was lucky to get a Storm contract that week."
Munster appeared on the cusp of an Origin call-up last year only to suffer another setback, this time of his own doing.
Munster was one of eight players slapped with a 12-month Origin ban for breaking curfew at the 2016 Emerging Maroons camp.
"It was a blessing in disguise. It wasn't ideal but kind of shaped me into the player I am now," Munster said.
"It made me realise how fortunate I am to be able to do something I love and not take it for granted.
"I have pulled my head in."
Twelve months after being on the Origin outer, Munster has been asked to step into the shoes once filled by Maroons greats like childhood hero Lockyer, Thurston and Wally Lewis.
"I looked up to Lockyer as a kid. If I am half as good as him I will be very happy," Munster said.
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