NSW hero James Tedesco has zeroed in on playing NRL finals football and inheriting Billy Slater's Australian No.1 jersey after ticking off his State of Origin dream.
Tedesco is among a handful of Blues players who is in the running for Kangaroos honours after wrapping up a successful 2018 Origin campaign.
Blues coach Brad Fittler and his players showed off the Origin shield to a few hundred fans at the Star Casino on Thursday and spirits were predictably high after breaking Queensland's three-year stranglehold.
Mal Meninga's side for the end-of-year Test against New Zealand is up in the air following the representative retirements of Johnathan Thurston, Billy Slater, Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk.
Tedesco will be considered the leading contender to claim Slater's fullback spot while hooker Damien Cook, James Maloney and Josh Addo-Carr have right to be front-runners for their positions.
As well, the likes of Latrell Mitchell, Tom Trbojevic and James Roberts proved they were Test players of the future.
Meninga's thoughts will become clearer on Sunday when an Australian merit side, based on the best players during the Origin series, is scheduled to be named.
"To play at this level and play well at this level is really confidence boosting, if I can finish the season strongly for the Roosters, then I can hopefully get a call up for the Australian side," Tedesco said.
"The goal now is to play some semi-final football for the Roosters, which I'm pretty excited about.
"I haven't played semi-finals before and that's my goal. If I'm playing good footy then, hopefully the Australian jersey will come."
The biggest questions for the Australian selectors surround the fullback, five-eighth, halfback, hooker and bench utility positions.
Cameron Munster was among Queensland's best all series while Nathan Cleary was solid in his Origin debut series for NSW.
Newcastle sensation Kalyn Ponga is also set to return as early as next week and should he win the Dally M, he could provide competition for Tedesco for the fullback spot.
Queensland halfback Daly Cherry-Evans erased any doubts about his credentials in the Maroons' game three win and could fill a starting halves or bench utility role.
Cook meanwhile was far and away the best hooker during the Origin series and unlucky to not claim the Wally Lewis Medal.
The Souths No.9 was cautious of getting ahead of himself and said he had to replicate Smith's consistency before being considered for an Australian call up.
"I think that's why (Smith) is so good and he's one of the best players to ever play the game, his best game and his worst game - there's not too much difference there," Cook said.
"That's something I tried to work on this year, being consistent, I need to continue in that area and a few other areas of the game too."
BLUES TO ROOS?
Possible Kangaroos side for end-of-year Test against New Zealand.
1. James Tedesco
2. Valentine Holmes
3. Greg Inglis
4. Will Chambers
5. Josh Addo-Carr
6. Cameron Munster
7. James Maloney
8. David Klemmer
9. Damien Cook
10. Reagan Campell-Gillard
11. Boyd Cordner
12. Matt Gillett
13. Josh McGuire
Interchange:
14. Daly Cherry-Evans
15. Tyson Frizell
16. Jake Trbojevic
17. Jack de Belin
