He may not be fully fit but Cameron Munster is confident nothing will stop him from finally making his mark on State of Origin and proving Queensland can win a series without the “Big Three”.
Maroons playmaker Munster revealed he would only be “80 to 90 per cent” fit for Wednesday’s series opener against NSW in Adelaide after battling through Melbourne’s NRL premiership win over Penrith last weekend with a knee complaint.
Munster admitted he needed pain injections before the match, at halftime and in the aftermath of the Storm’s 26-20 triumph over the Panthers last Sunday after playing at only “70 per cent”.
Yet the game-breaking five-eighth claimed he was primed to step up for Queensland and experience his first full series win for his beloved Maroons in 2020.
“It (knee) is tracking alright. I have obviously had some issues over the last month or so but I came out unscathed after the grand final which is pleasing … so I am hoping it is 80 to 90 per cent right,” Munster said.
“Not many people know but I got a needle before the game and at halftime and after the game – it wasn’t even 70 per cent.
“But the (post NRL grand final) scans were good. My doctor was going to have a chat to me and see where I wanted to go but it’s good now – I’ll be ready to go.
“I’ll be able to run the ball a lot more, step off both feet a lot more and just be that bit more erratic with the ball in hand.”
Munster made one of the great Origin debuts in 2017 with a mature game three performance that sealed Queensland’s 11th series win in 12 years.
Since then Munster hasn’t had much joy as Queensland struggled with life without their Big Three – Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston and Cooper Cronk.
Now Munster, 26, reckons he is primed to steer Queensland to victory in his first full three-game series triumph despite the Maroons naming eight rookies in their Origin I 17.
“That’s something I haven’t done yet. I’m really excited and there wouldn’t be anything better than winning it with the crop of young players we have in our team,” he said.
“People think we can’t win without the Big Three and I want to be able to say I won an Origin series without those guys, who are three of the best players to ever play in those positions.
“Hopefully on Wednesday night I can do that.”
Asked if he was ready to make his Origin mark in 2020 ahead of his eighth game for Queensland, Munster said: “For sure. My career has gone very quick so I just need to make sure I own it.
“I’ve been here (in NRL) for seven years now and I want to make the most of my time around the game.”
