Mitchell Pearce wants to set one record straight and help put an end to another.

And both involve State of Origin.

Firstly, he wants to play.

Secondly, he’d love to help NSW snap Queensland’s unprecedented run of eight consecutive series wins.

The Sydney Roosters star admits he erred pre-series last year saying he was playing for his Origin career – and now he wants another crack at the Maroons.

“I do regret saying it. I probably put pressure on myself. I shouldn’t have said it,” Pearce said ahead of his head-to-head halfback duel with Manly’s Maroons playmaker Daly Cherry-Evans on Friday night.

“At the end of the day, whoever they pick, they’ll pick because they want them in there because they believe in it.

“Me, I’m just confident in my footy, playing good footy at the moment. I just want to keep getting myself right on and off the field and whatever comes with that, will come.”

The first player in a quarter of a century – since the great Peter Sterling no less – to wear the No.7 jumper in at least nine straight games straight for NSW, Pearce is almost certain to be handed yet another shot at redemption in 2014.

Blues coach Laurie Daley is an unabashed fan and will back the 24-year-old, especially after Pearce rebounded from last year’s series loss to guide the Roosters to a first NRL title in more than a decade.

With Cherry-Evans challenging incumbent half Cooper Cronk for the Queensland No.7 jumper, Friday’s clash at Allianz Stadium could be an Origin appetiser for Pearce.

“Cooper Cronk’s been playing pretty good. I’m not sure. They normally stick pretty solid with their team,” Pearce said.

“But Cherry’s outstanding. He’s got great instincts and he’s such a good player. It will be a good challenge. I look forward to playing him this week.”