Hess: 'Everyone is thriving off each other'

North Queensland Cowboys star Coen Hess is determined... determined to step up and represent the Queensland Maroons well, determined not to let coach Wayne Bennett down and determined to rip in for his team mates. 

"Wayne is putting a lot of belief in my ability and now it’s just up to me repaying Wayne... and not letting my team mates down either," Hess said. 

The 24-year-old, who last played for the Queensland Maroons in 2018, was not expecting to be selected, but is stoked to be in the mix this year. 

"It’s probably a bit cliché, but growing up being a young Queensland lad, that’s all I really ever wanted to do was pull on the maroon jersey," FOG #190 said.

"I got the opportunity early in my career and it came pretty early and I wasn’t expecting that, but then to lose that in 2019....  to have it back now, yeah it’s something I don’t want to give up easily again."

The Mt Isa Black Stars junior said getting the call from Bennett definitely made his year.

"I was at the butcher and I think I screened a few of Wayne’s calls 'cause it wasn’t on my phone and it was a random number and I don’t usually like answering random numbers," Hess said.

"It rang a few times and I thought… 'I’m at the butcher and got nothing better to do so I better take it' and it turned out to be Wayne and he had a chat to me then, so I wasn’t expecting it at all... but I’m here now and just trying to make the most of it.

"I probably wasn’t playing my best footy towards the back end of the year, but he just wanted to instil a bit of confidence into myself and he said he picked me on what I’m capable of doing."

Hess said the Maroons bubble on the Gold Coast had been good so far and he was confident going into Game I tomorrow. 

"There’s a great vibe around the place," Hess said, adding he was thrilled to be learning from Bennett, who "has been around since the dawn of time", Mal Meninga and Neil Henry. 

"It’s probably one of the best coaching teams of all time so for myself, to be in this camp, I said to my dad earlier on that if I walk out of this camp not knowing something (I didn't know) walking in, then I’m kidding myself, so I’m just trying to be a bit of a sponge and learn as much as I can while I’m in here. It's really unbelievable.

"The training sessions are really intense. The sun’s out… they call it the Sunshine State, and yeah it’s out and it’s hot and it’s really intense.

"I think that’s a good thing for us just training at that intensity... obviously Origin is fast, so I think we need to accustomed to that through the week. But now that we’re getting close to the game time, the sessions are sort of sharpening up and there’s not as much load, but everything is going really good and the combinations are working, so it’s going good."

When it comes to his team mates, he has been impressed by "big Xavier Coates". 

"I’ve played against him, but I didn’t really realise how big he was... like he’s really tall and he’s fast and his leaps in the air are spectacular," Hess said, adding the entire squad was impressive, if he was being honest. 

"I think there were a few question marks around us with our age and that type of thing, but coming into camp everyone seems really confident and everyone is thriving off each other.

"There’s heaps of energy out there and I think that’s what you get with the younger players as everyone is sort of excited.

"You can tell there’s a bit of nerves around but that’s a good thing and everyone is focused on learning and getting to know each other and building those combinations, so it’s really exciting and I can’t wait to get stuck in."

Hess said his goal for the series was simply to not let anyone down - especially his team mates.

"I think it’s about not over-complicating it for myself.... it’s a hard enough game as it is, and if you start to overthink things then it won’t do yourself any favours," Hess said.

"I think it’ll be over before we know it. The three games back-to-back-to-back… it’s something that’s never happened before so I think we’ll have to start fast and before we know it, it’ll be all over and done and hopefully we’re lifting up the trophy."