Newcastle Knights utility back Dane Gagai has quickly settled into camp with the Queensland Maroons after getting a surprise tap on the shoulder on Thursday morning.
After the Origin sides were announced on Tuesday, Gagai was going about his preparation for the Knights’ Monday night game against the Brisbane Broncos.
“I was on the massage table and our Team Manager Warren Smiles came up to me,” Gagai told QRL.com.au.
“When he comes around it is usually bad news but he came up to me and gave it to me straight.
"He said ‘You have to go and pack your bags, you have been called into the Queensland side’.
“I was more than happy to jump off the table and pack my bags.”
After a number of years being in the mix to represent the Maroons, Gagai is thrilled about the call up even if it doesn’t mean playing in Wednesday’s Origin opener.
Gagai went into camp as cover, with a number of injury concerns hitting the squad in the lead up to next week's match at ANZ Stadium.
“It is a dream come true,” he added.
“I am just trying to take everything as it comes and have to see what happens.”
This video first appeared on QRL.com.au.
