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Boyd Cordner hasn't thought about the long-term implications his lingering calf complaint might have on the Roosters' season because he is so adamant he will come through the State of Origin series finale unscathed.
The NSW captain will shrug off a minor scare to lead the Blues in their bid for a first clean sweep in 18 years, having replicated the fitness battle he waged before last year's game three in which his side were soundly beaten in a decider.
He didn't play for the Roosters again until round 23 after last year's Origin series due to a number of niggles.
The tri-colours are again launching a premiership assault but even though the Origin series winner has already been decided in 2018, Cordner stressed he would have only thought about the effect playing game three might have on the Roosters if his calf was worse than it was.
"I would have [thought about the Roosters in making a decision] if it was bad, but it was sweet," Cordner said at Tuesday's captain's run. "I was pretty confident I would be able to get through a week of training and I wanted to give it the whole week to make certain.
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"If I was in danger of doing it again or if it didn't feel right I wouldn't play. I wouldn't put the team out like that. I think that's the selfish way to go about it. I've got through [Sunday's] session and that was a pretty big session."
Cordner has spent the majority of NSW's preparations for a clean sweep training away from the main group, but was given the green light after Sunday's opposed session against the Blues' under-20s side.
He will hoist the Origin shield in front of a disappearing Suncorp Stadium crowd and has been taken aback with the interest in his injury all week.
"I have [been bemused]," Cordner joked. "It's going to be like that, but the calf is fine and as long as I knew it was good in my head then that's the only thing that matters.
"I told everyone it was sweet early on last week, but with the long week we thought we would use every bit of time to make it certain and it pulled up really well from Sunday."
But if he has his own way recalled Queensland halfback Daly Cherry-Evans, making his first Origin appearance in three years, might not pull up so well on Thursday morning.
Cherry-Evans will patrol the same side of the field as Cordner, who made it known he would be trying to wreck the Queensland No.7's return after three years in the Origin wilderness.
"He's got his spot now and he's going to be out to prove a point," Cordner said. "We've got to try to nullify his options the best way we can and take time and space off him. We find each other a fair bit the back-rower and half, so I'm sure we'll find each other [a lot on Wednesday night].
"This is what Origin is all about, coming up to Suncorp and playing [in front] of a packed stadium yelling at you. We've prepared well throughout this camp and we want to make it 3-0."
The NSW captain will shrug off a minor scare to lead the Blues in their bid for a first clean sweep in 18 years, having replicated the fitness battle he waged before last year's game three in which his side were soundly beaten in a decider.
He didn't play for the Roosters again until round 23 after last year's Origin series due to a number of niggles.
The tri-colours are again launching a premiership assault but even though the Origin series winner has already been decided in 2018, Cordner stressed he would have only thought about the effect playing game three might have on the Roosters if his calf was worse than it was.
"I would have [thought about the Roosters in making a decision] if it was bad, but it was sweet," Cordner said at Tuesday's captain's run. "I was pretty confident I would be able to get through a week of training and I wanted to give it the whole week to make certain.
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"If I was in danger of doing it again or if it didn't feel right I wouldn't play. I wouldn't put the team out like that. I think that's the selfish way to go about it. I've got through [Sunday's] session and that was a pretty big session."
Cordner has spent the majority of NSW's preparations for a clean sweep training away from the main group, but was given the green light after Sunday's opposed session against the Blues' under-20s side.
He will hoist the Origin shield in front of a disappearing Suncorp Stadium crowd and has been taken aback with the interest in his injury all week.
"I have [been bemused]," Cordner joked. "It's going to be like that, but the calf is fine and as long as I knew it was good in my head then that's the only thing that matters.
"I told everyone it was sweet early on last week, but with the long week we thought we would use every bit of time to make it certain and it pulled up really well from Sunday."
But if he has his own way recalled Queensland halfback Daly Cherry-Evans, making his first Origin appearance in three years, might not pull up so well on Thursday morning.
Cherry-Evans will patrol the same side of the field as Cordner, who made it known he would be trying to wreck the Queensland No.7's return after three years in the Origin wilderness.
"He's got his spot now and he's going to be out to prove a point," Cordner said. "We've got to try to nullify his options the best way we can and take time and space off him. We find each other a fair bit the back-rower and half, so I'm sure we'll find each other [a lot on Wednesday night].
"This is what Origin is all about, coming up to Suncorp and playing [in front] of a packed stadium yelling at you. We've prepared well throughout this camp and we want to make it 3-0."
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