NSW prop Aaron Woods expects Queensland young gun Dylan Napa to come into the State of Origin series opener with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove.
The Sydney Roosters dynamo will make his long-awaited representative debut when he starts for the Maroons in game one at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday.
Woods said he expected the fiery redhead to feel like he owes his teammates after missing last year's State of Origin series because of ill-discipline.
"I'm definitely expecting a big game from Dylan," Woods said.
"He missed last year because of an indiscretion at the start of the year. He probably think he owes something to Queensland."
The 24-year-old Napa was one of eight players, along with Anthony Milford, Ben Hunt, Valentine Holmes and Cameron Munster to be blacklisted for last year's series by coach Kevin Walters after breaking curfew during an Emerging Maroons camp.
Walters made the bold move to refuse to pick Napa, despite for several years looking like he was ready-made for the Origin arena.
The incident almost certainly cost the prop a Maroons jumper last year but he has been brought into the squad for game one and will start in the front row.
The Maroons have been depleted by injuries and have key players nearing retirement, however Napa's, debut shapes as a beacon of hope for Queensland's future.
"He's playing some really good footy with the Roosters," Woods said.
"He'll come out and he'll be an Origin-trype player. He just wants to put big hits on and make his carries."
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