Cronulla Sharks standout Blayke Brailey is poised to fulfill a lifelong ambition of representing New South Wales in the sky blue jersey.
Since making his NRL debut in 2019, Brailey has shown considerable growth in both confidence and skill, making him a strong contender for the dummy half position in Laurie Daley's NSW Blues.
His selection for the Ashes tour in England last October has positioned the talented hooker for a chance to appear in the Origin series by the end of May.
With the Blues set to announce their squad in about three weeks, Brailey eagerly anticipates the call that could place him on rugby league's largest stage.
Recent injuries have ruled out Panthers' hooker Mitch Kenny, while Tigers star Apisai Koroisau faces a three-game suspension, bringing Brailey closer than ever to representing his state.
As the reigning Dally M Hooker of the Year, Brailey exudes confidence on the field, expressing his desire to wear the sky blue, insisting that his current form is at its peak.
"I feel like the performances I've been putting out are really consistent, and I'm in the best shape and best performance (period) I've been in my career."
"Hopefully I do get that phone call, I dream about it, I've been working hard for it, so hopefully that does."
"But it's that old cliche of just focus on my club and that stuff will come. But I'm definitely not hiding away from the fact that I want to be there."