When Patrick Carrigan was nation-hopping alongside Nathan Cleary after their World Cup win, little did the halfback know that Carrigan was readying himself for a Round 1 belter.
The pair, rivals in club football as well as the Origin arena, became quite close during their European trip, travelling to Amsterdam, Prague and several other cities in the continent alongside Angus Crichton, Chanel Harris-Tavita and other NRL stars.
Despite the bonds formed during the overseas campaign, the second Carrigan pulls on a Brisbane Broncos jumper, those friendships with Cleary, Liam Martin and Isaah Yeo will dissolve for 80 minutes.
Set to play each other on March 3rd, next Friday, it appears the mate-ship will turn to rivalry sooner rather than later.
"It is a weird feeling and it will be even weirder being mates with some of those guys from the World Cup, but then rolling around into an Origin series or even an NRL game," Carrigan told the AAP.
"I am sure come round one Marto' (Liam Martin) or someone will try and get me and it will be all on. That's when you remember who you are playing for.
"We are good mates but there are no mates in Origin."
Carrigan is coming off a career-best season, which should sound alarm bells for the remainder of the NRL seeing as the majority of players coming off an ACL injury don't hit their stride until their second season back.
The lock forward was racing the clock to play in their season opener against South Sydney last year, however despite playing in the clash, Carrigan was limited to just 14 NRL games last season.
Suffering an MCL injury in Round 4 before earning a four-week ban for a hip drop tackle late in the season, the 25-year-old did well not just to make his Maroons debut, but win player of the series.
It appears his Penrith mates won't be the only friends-turned-enemies in the Origin arena, he starts alongside one in the Broncos' forward pack - Payne Haas.
After collapsing late in the season, especially without Carrigan from Rounds 21 to 24, facing the consecutive premiers in Penrith will show Brisbane where they're at.
"You will see where you are at. There is no beating around the bush with it," Carrigan said.
"They are the back-to-back premiers. If you want to do anything in this game then you want to beat the best. Expectations are high of us. Same as them. It will be on the line in round one."'
Having played for both sides, Peter Civoniceva knows what it's like to pull on either jersey, and is excited to see the leaps Carrigan makes not only because of his fitness, but how he carries himself as a rep player now.
"When you are a representative player you take ownership of that so whenever you run out in an NRL fixture you have to showcase why you are a rep player," Civoniceva told AAP.
"Pat has already shown he can carry that title well.
"The way he came back last year (from a knee reconstruction) showcased what a genuine leader he is going to become for the Broncos, Queensland and Australia.
"I am really excited to see what transpires on the back of last year's form. If Brisbane have success this year it will be with him leading the way."
