Cameron Munster has dared NSW to target his injured ribs as he aims to take his game to a new level for Queensland and be regarded as one of the game's greats.
The Maroons five-eighth revealed after Melbourne's 24-16 win over the Dolphins that he had been playing with rib cartilage damage, a fractured rib and a hyper-extension of the elbow.
He expects to be a target for the NSW forwards in the State of Origin series opener in Adelaide on May 31.
"They will be out there to get me. Bring it on," Munster said.
"They always target me, so it's no different to anything. I'm a little (playmaker) that gets flogged around a little bit, so it will be no different.
"I'm alright, I just need to have some more cement. I was probably carrying on a bit, but I'll be fine."
Storm coach Craig Bellamy was reluctant to reveal the exact nature of his injuries after the Dolphins clash. Munster, being Munster, had no such qualms.
"It is what it is. I probably put my foot in it but at the end of the day that is something I do most of the time in my life," Munster said.
"I probably got a little bit of a rocket from the coaching staff about giving the details away so I've got to keep my mouth shut now."
Munster's elbow injury was caused by his old Melbourne teammates Felise Kaufusi and Kenny Bromwich but he said "it's good" now.
Munster won the Wally Lewis Medal as player of the Origin series in 2020 and was man of the match in Queensland's win in Game One last year. He has dominated in Origin and club football, and for Australia.
The 28-year-old said he still had improvement to make to be regarded in the top echelon of players in the game, in particular with his decision making and defence
"I just think me being able to control the game a bit more and probably not be as erratic at certain stages of the game," he said.
"I guess with the ADHD that I have got in body it is probably the instinct that I (play with). It works at times but I just want to be more consistent in certain areas of the game with my decision making.
"If I can do that I can elevate into the calibre of (James) Tedesco, Nathan Cleary and JT (Johnathan Thurston). Until I can do that I will probably be just a good player.
"I am a pretty aggressive bloke when it comes to defence although sometimes a bit of a speed bump."
