Dolphins forward Max Plath is on track to play State of Origin as soon as next year, Maroons great Chris Close says.
Plath, playing hooker in the absence of injured Jeremy Marshall-King, was Dolphins man of the match in their last two outings against Gold Coast and Sydney Roosters.
While the team have lost seven of their last nine games ahead of Sunday's home clash with the Warriors, the pocket battleship has maintained the high standards at No.9 he displayed while previously playing lock.
Gritty, tough, smart, versatile and willing to put his body on the line. Plath, 22, is all those things and more.
Close, who played for Redcliffe in the early 1980s, said Plath as a lock forward reminded him of North Queensland and Maroons forward Reuben Cotter. His accomplished handling of No.9 has just added to his appeal.
"Max has still got a lot of development that he can find in his game but with the trajectory he's had since the start of this year I'd think he'd be well and truly in contention in next year's State of Origin series," Close told AAP.
"He is the type of player that would be a great run-on hooker or a great bench player at Origin level.
"He has also got a little bit of nous required when he sees an opening.
"One of the things I thought we were a little bit lacking this year in Origin was our ability to get through those little gaps that we saw, where we second-guessed ourselves and either passed or died with the ball.
"Max is not afraid to put his head into the game. You can't develop to the next level unless you are willing to do that and Max does it. The more he does that the more impact he will have."
Plath said it would be "a dream come true" to play for the Maroons and pointed to the players who he has drawn inspiration from, two of whom have mastered more than one position.
"Cameron Murray is a big inspiration for me with how hard he works," Plath said.
"He is pretty light but he has good leg speed and ball-playing ability.
"Growing up, Darren Lockyer was my favourite player and his ability to play five-eighth and fullback was cool.
"Adam Reynolds sticks out too.
"I appreciate the (genuine) footy players, their smartness and what they bring to the team."
Plath said the Dolphins, two points outside the top eight, "absolutely can" get a win against the Warriors if they fix their second-half fadeouts.
"The good teams are relentless and hold that standard for the full 80," he said.
"We've got the determination and character to show up for each other. It will turn into a win."
