A super grateful Wade Graham can cap off a remarkable return from injury by filling one of the few gaps in his impressive rugby league portfolio.
After a couple of appearances off the bench for Cronulla following a nine-month layoff caused by an ACL knee injury, 28-year-old Graham was pitchforked into the cauldron of an Origin game.
He replaced NSW captain and second-rower Boyd Cordner in the first half of Origin II and steered the side with aplomb from five-eighth in the second half following an injury to Nathan Cleary.
Graham had his first start of the NRL season for Cronulla last Sunday, and is back on the bench for the Blues for next Wednesday’s Origin decider in Sydney.
“I just haven’t over-thought it to be honest,” Graham told AAP when asked about the events of the past few weeks.
“I’m super grateful to be back, I understand I’ve been given a wonderful opportunity by Freddy (NSW coach Brad Fittler) and the selectors.
“I was really happy that I could add some value in game two and look to continue that and repay the faith the guys showed in me after two games back for Cronulla.”
Graham played Origin in 2016 and 17, but like several other members of the Blues side who weren’t part of last year’s triumph, is yet to be part of a series-winning team.
“I’ve been part of a (NRL) grand final win, won a World Cup for Australia, so they sit very high up there,” Graham said.
“To represent NSW and get a win in an Origin series and to keep the shield at home would be right up there.”
Four of his five Origin games have been off the bench in addition to five of his his six Test appearances at the 2017 World Cup, in which he bagged four tries in his only start.
Graham revels in his versatility and isn’t grumbling about possibly being pigeonholed as a bench player at representative level, pointing out his NSW skipper occupies the same position in club football.
“He’s pretty much a lock for that position, so if anything I’m proud that I’m able to force my way into these (rep) teams in another position,” Graham said.
“Because if I didn’t have those other options available I probably wouldn’t have played representative football at all, so I’m grateful to be in here and it doesn’t matter what jersey they give me.”