Reed Mahoney: 'Really exciting to be given the opportunity'

Reed Mahoney is "very excited, but a little bit nervous" about being called into the Queensland Maroons squad for State of Origin Game III. 

Mahoney - having a stellar 2024 NRL season with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs - was last in Maroons camp in 2021 under the late Paul Green. 

"It's really exciting to be given the opportunity to come into camp... I wasn't really expecting a call at all... the boys that are playing are playing good footy," Mahoney said.

"To be recognised for what I'm doing at club level is special.

"Billy just said he's been really happy with my game, and how consistent I've been, and he wants me to come into camp and experience it.

"Called mum and dad and they were super excited, followed by my sister... she was over the moon that I was back in the squad... it's exciting."

The 26-year-old said he had been working hard to elevate his game ever since he was last in camp. 

"I was only young last time... I've always wanted to try and get myself back in this conversation, so it's good to be here," Mahoney said.

"My first camp, I only spent a few days in camp then went back and played club level and did my shoulder so didn't end up coming back into camp... I only spent about four days in camp last time before doing my shoulder so that wasn't the best. But everything happens for a reason.

"This time I just want to learn from Benny Hunt, DCE and gain experience being around such a great calibre of players... just really enjoy it.

"It's been years since my last camp and you never know when your last one is, so I want to really enjoy it and give it my all. Really looking forward to the week."

The Beerwah Bullddogs and Kawana Dolphins junior said Origin for him as a kid involved the whole family in the loungeroom, cheering the Maroons on.

"My whole family... brothers, sister, old man, mum... we love footy," Mahoney said.

"It's probably the one time we used to sit in the loungeroom together without trying to kill each other so it's an exciting time, Origin time.

"Even now, I'm a fan of it, love it. You go to training on the Wednesday and you can't wait to get home and order some pizza and watch the footy. It's always been a very popular thing in my household."

Mahoney said as a youngster, he looked up to anyone donning maroons, but in particular Johnathan Thurston and Cameron Smith.

"Can't go past Johnathan Thurston, Cameron Smith... the way Johnathan played the game, tough as nails... he'd get hit and get back up and just keep going... that's probably a representation of just who he was, a true Queenslander," he said.

Mahoney's journey to where he is now included being part of the Queensland Under 20 side in 2018 that beat New South Wales 30-12; it was a side captained by Pat Carrigan and that included Harry Grant, Murray Taulagi, Thomas Flegler, Tino Faasuamaleaui and AJ Brimson.

To make it to the next level for him, to one day run out for the Maroons, "would mean everyone". 

"In the 20s Origin when we played at Suncorp, it was the first time we beat the Blues for a while... I was part of that team so that was pretty cool... I came off the bench, it was awesome," Mahoney said.

"My favourite thing that I like about State of Origin is you get to wear your family name on the back of your jersey... to be able to run out there, not just for me, but for my family, who have been at every step along my career, and all of my friends and family back home at the Sunshine Coast... it would mean the world."