With State of Origin done and dusted, Melbourne centre Will Chambers is already bracing for the business end of the season which he says can match the intensity of the interstate series.
Chambers emerged from the recent Origin campaign with his position among the game's best centres cemented after being a key member of the triumphant Maroons line-up.
While that series victory was sweet, Chambers says the NRL premiership is what he plays for.
The table-topping Storm hold a two-point lead but in addition to sixth-placed Manly on Sunday at AAMI Park, they take on fifth-ranked North Queensland and the second-placed Sydney Roosters in the run home.
"Origin is a special part of your footy career but this is the business end and this is the part that you want to play," Chambers said.
"You want to make sure you do everything right and prepare well because the games are only going to get faster; it's basically like playing Origin again in the back end of the year.
"We've got to make sure we keep rolling to put ourselves in the best position heading into the finals."
Recently locked in for a further three years, the 29-year-old Chambers credits his career-best form to finding balance in his life.
Chambers left the Storm in 2010 to play rugby for two years.
He battled a life-threatening blood condition on his return and, last season, was out for three months with a broken foot but this season has been smooth sailing.
"I'm just enjoying my footy; I've got a young family and a wife who's helped me with my balance of life off the field and that's probably been the biggest key to my footy," Chambers said.
Chambers is also enjoying the rise of young players at Melbourne, including 19-year-old centre Curtis Scott.
"Curtis is a competitor and we saw that on the weekend against one of the best-attacking centres in the competition (Joey Leilua) and he took that lethal Raiders right edge out of the game," Chambers said.
The Storm's youngsters will be tested against Manly, with Cameron Munster shifting from five-eighth to fullback to cover the loss of the concussed veteran Billy Slater.
Ryley Jacks will start at five-eighth alongside Cooper Cronk, with Slade Griffin on call to replace Cameron Smith should he fail to recover fully from a pectoral injury.
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