Little more than six months ago, Phoenix Crossland was on the cusp of making his senior representative debut for New Zealand.
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After a breakout campaign at dummy-half for the Knights, starting 19 of 25 games in the No.9 jersey, the Wellington-born rake was in contention to make the Kiwis' squad for last year's Pacific Championships.
Then-Kiwis coach Michael Maguire had been in contact with Crossland, but a leg injury in Newcastle's semi-final loss to the Warriors in Auckland spelt the end of his anticipated selection.
However, the unfortunate situation gave Crossland more time to consider his representative eligibility.
Raised on the Central Coast, the Erina Eagles junior is also able to represent Australia, and thus NSW.
Should he have debuted for the Kiwis last year, that would have meant the end of any ambition to wear the sky-blue NSW jersey.
The 2014 NRL premiership-winning mentor was keen on Crossland to wear the black and white, but will he now try to convince him to go the other way?
Fingers crossed I get to have a chat with him somewhere along the line
- PHOENIX CROSSLAND
"No I haven't," Crossland said, when asked if Maguire had been in touch this season. "I don't text him every week and keep in contact, but obviously he's got the Blues job.
"I had a few conversations with him last year, so fingers crossed I get to have a chat with him somewhere along the line, but no, not yet."
Maguire is heading up a new Blues era after Brad Fittler's six-year tenure as coach.
The former Wests Tigers and South Sydney mentor has been tipped to shake things up in terms of selections, and while Crossland wasn't part of a pre-season NSW catch-up in February, attended by more than 30 eligible players, he is clearly emerging as potential future representative player.
The 23-year-old is yet to make a decision on his eligibility one way or the other, instead keeping his options open until he is essentially forced to make a decision if a team comes calling.
"I haven't decided, or really put much thought into it so far this year," he said.
"I unfortunately got injured last year, so I didn't have to make that call.
"It's not a decision that needs to be made, unless it's brought forward to me, and it hasn't been this year, yet."
The utility role is where Crossland is ultimately likely to get his representative start, for whoever it might be.
He switched to dummy-half in recent years, but played in the halves coming through the grades.
This season, he was given first crack in the No.9 jersey, but has since reverted to the bench in a super-sub type role, coming on to play either hooker or lock.
"The main reason I'm in that role at the moment is because I thrive off injecting myself into the game," Crossland, who will play his 70th NRL game this week, said.
"Bringing that energy, which most 14s in the comp have to do that.
"You look at some of the better ones, Connor Watson for example, he is just a ball of energy.
"I think that is my role, and I love doing it. I'd love to be starting, but at the moment, that's my role - 14."
Crossland will get an opportunity to play against one of the hookers in contention for the Blues when the Knights meet Wests Tigers in Tamworth on Saturday.
Tigers hooker Api Koroisau played Origin I last year but was ruled out for the rest of the series due to a broken jaw. South Sydney hooker Damien Cook started at hooker in Origin III, while Cowboys rake Reece Robson was the utility off the bench.
After consecutive wins, Crossland said the Knights were eager to make it three in a row at Scully Park, a venue where they have a 1-1 record.
