For a player with high hopes of making his State of Origin debut in the not too distant future, being in camp with Queensland and soaking up the atmosphere of game day was the ultimate motivator.
Newcastle Knight Korbin Sims was named in the extended Queensland squad for the first time and spent the week in camp. It also allowed him the chance to observe the team’s game day preparation and warm up on Wednesday night at the MCG.
It has come for the 23-year old after his involvement in the Maroons Pathways squad at the beginning of the year.
“It was great. It was good to spend a full training week with players like that and is always really good for the confidence,” Sims told Knights TV on Thursday morning.
“Hopefully I can get a step closer and next time get in the side.”
A highlight for the Knights’ forward was to be among the game’s most talented, successful and seasoned players who have now become his mentors.
“With as many high-class players in one team, there’s a lot being said and a lot to learn,” he added.
The week’s crescendo was Wednesday night’s State of Origin game two played at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.
“I was down on ground level sitting behind the bench," Sims said.
“Seeing the boys warm up on the sideline and watching the crowd get behind every hit, every good play and every call was really good."
He found being on the field surrounded by a record breaking passionate crowd of 91,000 an incredible experience.
“They gave it to a couple of our boys sometimes, but I think we outnumbered them in the maroons last night,” he said.
While Sims didn’t take the field himself, the match day nerves and anticipation were as real as ever.
“I was more agitated. I’m not really used to standing around and not preparing like I usually do at a game,” he admitted.
“Being a part of the crew down there in the sheds warming up was good and that’s the experience that I need at the moment.
“I’m going to take that into Club level now.
“It’s just the experience of what I need to work towards and getting into a side like that is going to be hard.
“That’s what I’ll be working on in the next couple of weeks and hopefully my game improves."
While the Maroons failed to shutdown NSW, suffering a 26-18 defeat, the proud Queenslander is confident they’ll close out the series with a win at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday week.
“Going back home up to Brisbane, it’s always going to be a tough ask for a NSW side to try and get a win up there,” he said.
“Our boys were on last night, there were just a couple of errors at crucial times of the game that hurt us.
“Playing in front of a home crowd in Brisbane is always uplifting and the boys are always going to be ready for the challenge."
The Origin experienced has driven Sims to show he’s ready for Queensland call-up.
According to him, it all starts with his performance in the Knights’ match against the Sharks on Sunday.
“Hopefully I can try to continue a bit of my form over the last two weeks that I’ve played,” he said.
“I’ll just try to take away how the boys prepare during the week and if I take a few points into my game then I can really move forward in my career.
Knights teammate Dane Gagai was also a member of the Maroons squad named as 18th man for game two of the series.
“Having Dane there to tell me what was going on at certain times of the week was handy,” he said.
“He’s getting closer and closer and I’m trying to think that I’m doing the same as well.”
Meanwhile, Beau Scott has been cleared by the Club's medical staff on Thursday following Wednesday's State of Origin and will play in Sunday's match against the Cronulla Sharks.
