QLD Maroons coach Billy Slater has praised the performances of a former Origin forward who has rejuvenated his career this season at the Canberra Raiders.
A member of the Raiders Grand Final team in 2019, Corey Horsburgh found career-best form during the 2022 and 2023 NRL seasons which saw him rewarded with being selected to represent the QLD Maroons in the final match of the 2023 State of Origin series.
However, his career would then take a downward spiral in 2024, with him only making five appearances in the NRL, spending the majority of his time in the NSW Cup, and even being linked with several rival teams, including the Wests Tigers.
Now, the Raiders forward has caught the attention of QLD Maroons head coach Billy Slater as he looks to add to his sole Origin showing in 2023.
This comes after he had 132 running metres and one try assist against the Brisbane Broncos last week in Round 2 in only 52 minutes on the field.
"We saw a couple of years ago he was capable of it," the QLD Maroons coach said on The Billy Slater podcast.
"It just shows you when you commit yourself and you get yourself nice and fit, what you can actually do."
Before making an impact in the Raiders' first two matches against the New Zealand Warriors and Brisbane Broncos, 'Big Red' detailed his ambition to return to the State of Origin arena at the start of the year.
"I want to play. I want to play all three and I think I fit that role," Horsburgh told The Canberra Times in January.
"That's the goal, I want to lock down that starting role [in Canberra], and then I want to push my name forward for [Origin]."
