Spending time with the Kangaroos team has giant Melbourne Storm forward Jordan McLean itching to get his representative career started for real.
The 25-year-old was called into the Australian camp as 18th man for the recent Anzac Day Test against New Zealand.
McLean has been touted for a State of Origin debut with NSW in the opening match on May 31 and the hard-running prop said if he gets the call from Blues coach Laurie Daley he'll be ready.
He said he learned a lot spending the week prior to the Test with the game's best in Canberra.
"It was awesome; I was over the moon when I got the call-up," McLean said.
"I got a lot of experience out of it with just the way they go about their business during the week.
"I think that experience definitely helps and a few of those boys already play in the NSW Origin team so getting to know them beforehand helps."
Blues coach Laurie Daley is impressed with what the 196cm and 115kg McLean offers in terms of power and aggression while he's also a fan of his high work-rate.
But there's plenty of hot competition with a host of first-class props vying for NSW Origin spots, including Aaron Woods, David Klemmer, Andrew Fifita, Jake Trbojevic and Shannon Boyd
"I don't know what's going to happen but hopefully I'm thereabouts somewhere," McLean said.
He hoped that another Storm forward in Dale Finucane could also join him in making his NSW Origin debut.
Finucane was down on himself this week saying he hasn't been at his best of late but McLean said he was hard marker.
"Dale's always hard on himself," he said.
"He's one of those players that you always want to play with because he'll never let you down so I wouldn't be surprised if he does get the call-up because it's well deserved."
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