Until he was tossed up as a candidate this week by teammate David Klemmer, Origin selection did not even register on Dan Saifiti's radar.
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"No, not one bit," he admitted on Thursday.
That's not to say he didn't appreciate Klemmer's vote of confidence.
"It definitely means a lot coming from big Klem," he said. "We've got a close relationship now and I know he trusts me and to back me like that, it's pretty cool.
"But I'm a realist - I know it is unlikely but if I did get picked, I'd take it with both hands and put my best foot forward, that's for sure."
If the truth be known, Saifiti has been on coach Brad Fittler's Blues' radar.
He has been in the Emerging Blues program and attended a couple of camps so was seen as a potential future NSW player. But what has thrown him into contention now following Klemmer's injury is his form for the Knights, particularly over the past few weeks.
Fittler was on the sideline commentating when Saifiti took it to the Roosters pack in Newcastle and everyone noticed his knockout performance against the Burgess brothers in the absence of Klemmer last weekend.
But he says the spotlight won't change the way he approaches Saturday's big clash in Melbourne against the Storm.
READ MORE: Newcastle Knights
"They're a team that we've never really come close to but we've got a team this year we are proud of and the last six weeks, we have shown we can play some good footy," he said.