Still coming to terms with his key role in an epic Queensland win, Pat Carrigan refused to believe he'd been named player of the series in his debut State of Origin campaign.
Carrigan thought he was being pranked when teammates, coaching staff and even NRL officials directed him to the stage at Suncorp Stadium to collect the Wally Lewis Medal following Wednesday's 22-12 victory over NSW.
It was no joke though, the 24-year-old's efforts across all three games having been recognised with the prized award.
"None of us heard it and Smithy (Cameron Smith) was pushing me out and then the boys were pushing me, I thought it was a stitch up," Carrigan said.
"I was trying to hide and then the girls from the NRL were pushing me. I didn't really know what was going on.
"I was just stoked to get a series win and play along some of these guys. There's guys I played junior footy with who I grew up with and then guys like Paps (Josh Papalii) that you looked up to, Gags (Dane Gagai), those sort of players."
Carrigan personally felt Kalyn Ponga or even NSW captain James Tedesco deserved the honour but that humility plays down the impact the back-rower had for the Maroons.
After making 34 tackles and 183 running metres on debut in game one, Carrigan was among the Maroons' best in game two as NSW soared to a dominant win.
Having played his first Origins off the bench, Carrigan was thrust into a starting role for game three and racked up 45 tackles, 130 running metres and three offloads.
It's a remarkable comeback for a player whose 2021 season was wrecked by tearing an anterior cruciate ligament in a knee last May.
"I hadn't really thought back too much on it, to be honest, just taking it week by week, but it's pretty special," he said.
"Just to be here with these coaches, Nate Myles, JT (Johnathan Thurston), Smithy, Slats (Billy Slater), Greg Inglis.
"I was a kid watching these guys run around in Origin and now they give you the time of the day and they help you get better.
"They're a massive part of what this group is about. It's a privilege to be here."
Carrigan also revealed the decision to start him for game three was no late change, having been explained to him by coach Billy Slater as soon as he arrived in camp - only for those carefully laid-out plans to be abandoned when three players, two of them Queenslanders, were ruled out of the game with head knocks inside the opening four minutes.
"It was an early thing ... Bill made it clear to the boys we'd just keep it in-house and in-camp and no-one else needed to know," he said.
"I kind of got my head around it early.
"A couple of interchanges threw a bit of a spanner in there.
"The plan was to get Harry (Grant) on pretty early as well but players were dropping like flies.
"I've just relished the opportunity. If I get into a Queensland jersey, whatever number I wear, whatever position, I play I'll cherish it forever."
