NSW great Peter Sterling recalls his moment of enlightment in State of Origin debut

IT took me 62 minutes to fully understand that Origin is a different beast.

IT took me 62 minutes to fully understand that Origin is a different beast.

The enlightenment took place in my debut match at Lang Park in 1981 which was the second and final one-off game before the concept went to a best-of-three series.

The first half of that clash was a perfect example of being lulled into a false sense of security with the Blues racing away to a 15-0 lead, made even more comfortable by the fact that the Parramatta connection of Ray Price, Eric Grothe, Mick Cronin and myself had played strong roles in the scoreboard ticking over.

Queensland did start to warm to their task but still went into half-time trailing by 10 points and even when Wally Lewis scored first after the break I still felt things were under control.

However just after the hour mark Maroons fullback Colin Scott made a scything run of 50m before being grassed just short of the tryline by a classic cover-defending, boot-lace tackle by Eric Grothe.

DUEL: WHY LAURIE DALEY IS MAKING REYNOLDS AND SUTTON PLAY OFF FOR SPOT

The effort dazed our big winger and it was then that I received my education.

Believing that Eric was deliberately trying to slow down the play-the-ball Queensland centre Chris Close grabbed him by the hair and gave him a whopping backhander across the face, before casting him like a rag doll to the side of the ruck. He then picked up the ball and placed it over the line for a try which, when converted, levelled up the score.

This happened in the twinkling of an eye and was as effective as it was ruthless and was the moment I knew for sure that to play State of Origin you had to be prepared to do whatever it took to get the job done.

We ended up losing the game 22-15 and Close was named man of the match.

I think every player who plays Origin experiences such a defining moment and while not necessarily as brutal, you can be certain it will have something to do with a display of commitment, effort or competitiveness.

How you react to, and what you produce in these areas will determine whether your career in a sky blue or maroon jersey will be a short or long one. Next Wednesday night five young men will debut on the big stage at ANZ Stadium and no matter what advice or insight they have been given in the lead-up, they'll only "get it" when they face the confrontation themselves.

Peter Sterling

Despite tapping into the experience of those around them who have competed at this level, be it teammates or support staff, it will be quicker than they expect, more physically demanding and the repercussions and ramifications of a simple error will be more profound.

Each of them deserve to be there based on their weekly performances in the NRL but there is still that question mark as to how they will handle the step up.

Early involvement is essential and certainly benefited young prop Tim Grant on debut in game two last year when he was able to put Petero Civoniceva on his backside with his first carry of the football.

Maybe that was Tim's moment of clarity and despite being overlooked for this upcoming clash I've no doubt there are more Origins to come his way.

If you don't get into the contest early it will pass you by. All of a sudden you look around and much of the game has flown and you haven't been in it.

There must be aggression in everything you do; if you run or tackle soft you will be found out and targeted.

Playing in that fashion will instil confidence in those around you and that is the quickest way to acceptance.

However the most important component is effort and the depth to which you can dig in that regard.

There are often descriptions of a piece of play being an "Origin effort" which is essentially something which goes above and beyond what may have been expected.

The players who produce these most often and effectively are invariably the ones who are responsible for the actions that ultimately make the difference over 80 minutes.

The only time I get jealous of today's players is at this time of year. State of Origin is not just a game but an absolute experience.

The week in camp is fantastic and it is impossible not to feel special. I miss the camaraderie that is built with those you may have had little to do with apart from trying to beat them of a weekend.

When you are working towards an important, common goal it takes no time at all for club differences to be put aside.

Of course the rarity of the opportunity adds to the prestige. I played 227 first- grade games but only 13 Origins.

I wish Blake Ferguson, James Maloney, Andrew Fifita, Chris McQueen and John Sutton or Josh Reynolds all the very best for next week and hope that they all play to the very best of their ability. I also hope that it is their first of many more to come.

Join Peter Sterling, Matt Johns, and Mark Gasnier from 7.30pm on Fox Sports 1 for the latest news and debate on all of rugby league's hottest topics.