Wednesday 1 June 2016 10:37, UK
Kurt Gidley says the State of Origin games are the toughest that any player can be involved in.
Gidley, who has quickly settled in at Warrington Wolves, is well placed to discuss the State of Origin series, having made 12 appearances for New South Wales, including captaining the region.
With the opening match of the 2016 series on the horizon, the 33-year-old was open about just how gruelling taking part in one of Australia's most intense sporting rivalries is.
"I'd describe it as the pinnacle in Rugby League," he told Sky Sports. "They're the toughest games that any player can be involved in, as far as physical and mental toughness goes.
"I've represented my country and they're really tough and physical games as well, but I think that the Origin games that I've played in have been the most physical and toughest that I've ever played in.
"There's so much at stake, it's the highest-rated programme on Australian television every year and people who don't watch rugby league throughout the year watch State of Origin because it is such a big occasion."
Sydney's ANZ Stadium will host the opening Test and Gidley's New South Wales will know the importance of starting positively.
The 2015 series ended in despair for the Blues as Queensland inflicted a brutal 52-6 hammering of their rivals. However, Gidley doesn't believe that will impact on Wednesday's opener.
"As a player, there's nothing that you can do the change the past," he said. "For me, I'm always looking towards my next game, whether I've lost, drawn or won my previous game.
"So it's almost 12 months between the last game of Origin 2015 and this one, it's irrelevant what happened last year now."
With the State of Origin stage being so large and the scrutiny that comes with that, the 33-year-old commented how it takes some time to learn how to handle the external pressures.
"Queensland's media and New South Wales' media are both driving different agendas and trying to find different stories on opposing teams, players and coaches so it's a crazy time," explained Gidley.
"As a young guy, it takes a bit of time to learn just to focus on training and your job in the game, because you don't want to play the game in your head before you do play it. So, that comes with a bit of experience."
Once game day arrives and the build-up has come to an end, Gidley knows that every member taking to the field during the 2016 series, and in the years to come, will experience something extremely special and something that they'll never forget.
"The atmosphere is the biggest thing that most players remember," he said. "Whether it's in Queensland with 90 per cent of the crowd booing you, or whether you're in New South Wales and there are close to 90,000 people supporting you.
"The atmospheres are amazing and when you run out for the game, it's a feeling that you can't get anywhere else in your life.
"You train pretty intensely for 10 days in the lead up to it, and every day that you get closer to the game you get more excited. By the time that you run out of the tunnel and you hear the crowd, it is a pretty unrealistic feeling to describe unless you've experienced it."
For the Australian, his focus is firmly on Warrington's trip to St Helens on Friday night, as the Wolves have the opportunity to build upon their nine-try victory over Leeds.
But, like most, he'll have one eye on the 2016 State of Origin opener to see if New South Wales can turn around a difficult 2015 finale and start the 2016 series on a winning note.
St Helens v Warrington is live on Sky Sports 3 HD from 7.30pm on Friday night.
