NSW Blues forward Hudson Young is about to enter uncharted waters.
When he runs out for Wednesday night’s State of Origin decider it will be the first—and almost certainly only—time he’ll go head to head with his legendary Canberra Raiders teammate Josh Papali’i.
“I’ve looked up to Josh for a long time now and played with him for many years,” Young said of the all-time Raiders games record holder, speaking with NRL.com.
“To get a game against him is going to be pretty cool.”
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Having answered coach Billy Slater’s call to come out of representative retirement, Papali’i will play his 24th Origin match for Queensland and his first since Game III of the victorious 2022 series.
Young, who will be making his sixth Origin appearance for NSW, has no doubt the 33-year-old’s presence will lift his Maroons teammates.
“Being able to run out next to big Papa each week (with the Raiders) fills me with confidence, so he’s obviously going to be a good asset to their team,” he said.
“If you ask me, I think he is in nearly career best form.”
Jarome Luai, a Samoan teammate of Papali’i at the 2022 World Cup, is another Blues player very wary of the influence Papali’i can have on a game, and also his teammates.
“Papa is playing some good football, the Raiders are at the top of the ladder and Billy Slater would know what he can get out of Josh,” Luai said.
“I probably shouldn’t say this, but I am happy for him, he is a pretty close mate of mine.
“I’m sure he’ll get up for it and the (Queensland) boys will get up for it for him—we have a big job to do.”
The Game III decider starts at 8.05pm on Wednesday night at Accor Stadium in Sydney.