Haumole Olakau'atu has name-checked Canterbury's Jacob Preston as his biggest competition for a State of Origin recall onto NSW's right edge.
Olakau'atu's personal form has surged in tandem with Manly's since Kieran Foran took the reins a month ago, with the back-rower most recently starring in Sunday's 33-18 defeat of Parramatta.
Since Foran replaced Anthony Seibold as coach, the 27-year-old has gone from averaging 93 run metres per game this season to 215.
Against the Eels, Olaka'uatu threw four offloads by halftime, flattened Dylan Walker with a brutal tackle just before the break and roamed onto the left side to become more involved.
"The first month of the season I kind of sat back and waited for the game to come to me. It's a bit different the last month," Olakau'atu said.
"I've been given a role ... to insert myself into the game earlier.
"I've been doing that the last month, so I'm pretty happy with myself."
The uptick in form has linked Olakau'atu to a first Origin appearance since 2024, especially given regular Blues second-rower Liam Martin is nursing a knee injury.
NRL legend Andrew Johns wrote last week that Olakau'atu and Preston were his two leading options to take the right edge vacancy for May 27's series opener.
Uncapped at Origin level, Preston has formed an excellent combination with Lachlan Galvin on the Bulldogs' right edge and was crucial to this month's defeat of premiership favourites Penrith.
Asked which back-rowers he thought would be picked if he wasn't, Olakau'atu lavished praise on Preston.
"Left edge would probably have to be either Angus (Crichton) or Hudson Young. Can't go past them. They've been playing really good footy for a while now, last couple years," he said.
"Right side, I love Jacob Preston. He's a very hard worker, he does all those little one-percenters, he's tough too."
Helping the sixth-placed Sea Eagles continue their resurgence remains ahead of an Origin recall on Olakau'atu's to-do list.
"If I get that opportunity, or whatever it may be, I'll take it with both hands and try to make the best out of that," he said.
"But my goal is to try and get Manly in the best position during the season as I can."
Former Blues captain and Manly teammate Jake Trbojevic believes Olakau'atu has grown as a player since last featuring at Origin level for the first two games of NSW's 2024 series win.
"He's come on in leaps and bounds. His leadership's been unreal. He's just going after the contest," Trbojevic said.
