A little over two months ago, Gehamat Shibasaki would have thought the chances of him adding a second State of Origin appearance to his tally were slim.
After a whirlwind 2025 in which he debuted in Game 3, lifted the shield, played a key role in the Brisbane Broncos NRL grand final triumph and won an Ashes series abroad, it all finally seemed to taking its toll when he struggled to bring his peak performance to the opening rounds of the 2026 Telstra Premiership.
Shibasaki was sent soul-searching after just two matches and forced to fight his way back to first grade via the bench, getting his chance to make amends 23 minutes into the Round 4 clash with the Dolphins.
The Broncos centre produced some of the best 57 minutes of his season to date making 13 tackles, nine runs for 78 metres and scoring a try to secure two points for his side.
The impact he had in his NRL return could provide the blueprint for the potential role Billy Slater sees for him in the May 27 opener.
Slater: 'Gives me chills just thinking about it'
"(Billy) just said, it's a six-man bench, so just get ready for whatever happens and get amongst the boys and bring energy around the boys and just be ready for anything," Shibasaki said.
The 28-year-old said he would draw on the environment of camp and his surreal Origin experience in a bid to rediscover his 2025 form and deliver it on the biggest stage.
"It's like a little kid in a candy shop. It's an unreal feeling and you always dream about putting on this jersey," Shibasaki said.
Gehamat Shibasaki Try
"Going out there experiencing this in front of the crowd and that, it's an unreal experience.
"I'll just draw on the experience. I felt like I did my job in playing my own game and I tried to continue that form.
"Obviously it was a bit shaky start this year, the start of the season, but you know I'm heading in that direction, getting better."
Shibasaki, who is yet to secure a contract for 2027, said he had not been paying attention to the external commentary about his form, instead looking internally to continually prove himself.
"As you can see from the start of the season, it can come around quick, and it's a big difference if you miss out on that month of preseason," he said.
"I think it was just getting my body right and where it needed to be and I believe I needed to get my body right too, and... I know I can play my best footy when the body's at its best.
"I think if I can just focus week-in, week-out on staying consistent and my job, then obviously Billy sees something."
Tickets to State of Origin are selling fast. Don't miss out on your chance to witness history live and get your tickets today.
