After starring in his side's much-needed 36-6 win on Monday night, dumped Origin centre Dylan Walker said he saw no need to dwell on the disappointment of missing Origin III and will target a recall next year.
For now, he is just relieved to have helped his club to their first win since Round 7 while their dim finals hopes are still mathematically flickering.
"I didn't really pay too much attention, I just wanted to come out and put in a good performance for the team and the club. It's been a long time coming for a result like that and I'm just really proud of the boys," Walker said immediately after his two-try effort.
"There's obviously a little bit of disappointment but you can take it two ways, you can grow from it or you can dwell on it. I don't want to dwell on it, I just want to move forward.
"I definitely want to get back into the Origin arena but I'll probably have to wait until next year now. My entire focus is just on the club now for the remainder of the season and it's a good way to start that tonight."
Walker was philosophical about his demotion, in the knowledge that the man who took his Blues right centre spot – Dragons fullback Josh Dugan – was the man initially penned in for that role before an injury ahead of Game One ruled him out.
With Dugan now back to fitness Daley has opted to return him to that role despite Walker acquitting himself well in Game Two.
"'Duges', he was the right centre to begin with and unfortunately for him he got injured the first two games and he finally comes back now and gets to join the boys," Walker added.
In a nice piece of rugby league symmetry, Walker and Dugan faced off on Monday night and it was Walker who had the last laugh as his side ran out 36-6 winners over Dugan's Dragons. Walker himself not only won a clear points decision but rubbed further salt in the wounds when he pinched an intercept from a Dugan cut-out pass to streak 80 metres to score.
"I had a bit of a laugh and chuckle with him on the field today. He's in good spirits," Walker said of Dugan.
"When I was coming back he just said 'why'd you take the ball', there was a bit of laughter, but he'll do a great job for NSW, he's a great player, he's been there for a long time and he knows what he's doing."
Walker said Blues coach Laurie Daley had called him to let him know he wouldn't be in the team for Game Three.
"He just told me there's a lot of things I can work on. He said I played well in Game Two but because Duges was there from the start he's going to give him the chance. I didn't want to dwell on it too much," Walker said.
"It was pretty easy [to deal with], you can't dwell on those things, it will probably affect you more if you have that in the back of your mind. I came into tonight's game with a clear mind."
Of his own return to form since shifting from five-eighth to centre, Walker said he's happy in the three quarter line for now but wants to continue challenging himself in different positions down the track.
"[Centre] is probably where I'm comfortable at the moment. I want to test myself and figure out new positions."
