David Nofoaluma is smart enough to know if his name isn’t mentioned leading up to State of Origin, he’s probably no chance to make the side.

Not even his league-topping 17 tries from as many NRL games this season can assure his chances of making his debut for NSW in November.

The tries help but recognition is what counts.

“That’s a start … when talk starts to happen that’s good signs,” the Tigers winger said.

“If no one is talking about you that’s a problem.”

The 26-year-old is in the best form of his career playing under Michael Maguire at the Tigers, but cracking a series-winning Blues side?

That’s tough.

But in the relationship between Maguire and Nofoaluma, passion recognises passion.

Maguire doesn’t give out praise easily and the hard taskmaster and former New Zealand coach believes Nofoaluma has what it takes to play Origin.

He knows how determined Nofoaluma is in the pursuit of a dream.

When asked if he had his eye on a Blues debut this year, Nofoaluma was not shy in admitting his goals.

“The whole year, I’ve been letting my game do a lot of the talking,” he said.

“It’s just a matter of the selectors picking me.”

To achieve his goal when the teams are announced at the end of October, the Tigers’ fan favourite would need to unseat incumbent Blues winger Blake Ferguson.

Coach Brad Fittler has already expressed doubts about Nofoaluma’s size, but in comparison to Ferguson, game stats are chalk and cheese in 2020.

Both play right wing but Nofoaluma has 17 tries, while Ferguson scored his first of the season for Parramatta over the weekend.

What the 94kg winger from Campbelltown lacks in size, he makes up for in heart.

The Tigers aren’t out of finals contention just yet but no matter how slim their chances, Nofoaluma will show what he’s made of over the next three weeks.

He has an Origin dream but it won’t happen unless he keeps giving selectors something to think about.