Aaron Payne says he hopes his North Queensland team-mate Johnathan Thurston doesn’t turn his representative dream debut into a nightmare at Skilled Park next week.
Payne said on Friday his feet hadn’t touched the ground after the birth of his daughter Naida when he received a call from NRL All Stars coach Wayne Bennett, telling him he wanted him to replace injured hooker Cameron Smith for the clash against the Indigenous All Stars.
He will oppose Cowboys team-mates Thurston, Matt Bowen and Cory Paterson.
“It’ll be a weird feeling because normally I am playing with him (Thurston) and I’ve played a lot of games with him,” said Payne.
“I’ve got a bit of an insight into his game which is probably a good thing but it also means I’ve seen him terrorise opposition sides so I hope he doesn’t do it to us.”
Payne said he was “pretty surprised” to get the call up.
At 29 and at the back end of his career, he could have been forgiven for thinking his chances of playing rep football had passed him by after being stuck behind a number of outstanding hookers like Smith.
“Obviously you never give up hope but it wasn’t high on my priority list although now it’s happened, I consider it an honour,” he said.
Payne is still on a high after his wife Laura gave birth to their first child on Wednesday.
“Don’t get me wrong – it’s great to get the call up and I’m stoked.”
With the NRL All Stars in camp on the Gold Coast next week and the Cowboys heading across to Perth for a pre-season trial the following week, Payne was concerned about not having any time with his wife and new daughter.
However, Bennett has agreed to let Payne have a few days off to fly back to see his wife and daughter.
“The club has also given me a few days off after the All Star game to spend with my family which is great.”
Payne, who has been close to Queensland selection a few times, said the All Star game was about respect and sending a message and he wouldn’t be treating it like a missed Origin.
“It’s not like an Origin because, in an Origin, people are trying to take each other’s heads off and there’s the real hate,” he said.
“This is more a respect thing which is played in the right spirit.”
