Overlooked veteran Matt Scott believes he can still contribute at State of Origin level but he’ll be content if the curtain has already been drawn on his representative career.

Having debuted in 2006 and played 22 games for Queensland, the powerhouse prop must have felt strange training in Townsville on Wednesday while the Maroons were preparing for the Origin opener in Melbourne.

He will return from a one-match suspension for North Queensland to play Parramatta this Saturday, having missed selection in Kevin Walters’ side.

Scott thought he had done enough to earn a recall after missing last year’s campaign with a knee injury but, copping his snub on the chin, says he has been around long enough to know how Queensland sides are picked.

“I thought my last four or five weeks of footy have been pretty good, back to what I knew I was capable of doing,” he said.

“I thought I was pushing to get my spot back, but Kevvy’s shown a lot of faith in the guys that did the job last year and that’s a credit to him.

“That’s the Queensland way; it was up to me to claim my spot back and I didn’t do that and that’s part of footy.”

Scott, 32, will watch the series opener intently and says he’s okay with whichever way his representative career pans out from here.

“I’ve still got enough to contribute on the Origin stage; I’d love to get back in there, love to pull on the jersey again,” he said.

“But if I never do I’m pretty happy with my career so far … I played more Origins than I ever thought I would.

“If I didn’t play again I’d be happy but at the same time I’d love to be back in that arena.”