Canberra Raiders prop Dunamis Lui still shocked by State of Origin call up

Even when best mate Josh Papalii tipped him off he was in the Queensland squad he didn't believe it.

It was only when he got a call from Maroons management on Wednesday that he realised his dream had come true.

Now the softly spoken Samoan international has his sights set on pulling on the Maroons jersey he watched Gorden Tallis raging in when he was a kid.

Lui couldn't have better company going into his first Origin camp when he flies up to the Gold Coast with Mal Meninga and Papalii on Sunday.

Meninga's going up as one of Queensland coach Wayne Bennett's assistants, while Papalii has established himself as a crucial cog in the Maroons' chances of snapping a two series losing streak.

Lui felt his selection might start to sink in when he arrives on Sunday.

The 30-year-old has taken the long way round to a potential Origin debut, having played 158 NRL games after 11 years at the top flight.

"Far out, even just talking about this I'm just a bit shocked," Lui said.

"I'd love to get the chance to go up against [the NSW Blues]. I'll be doing everything I can to get stuck into all their forwards.

"You sort of have flashbacks to when you were a kid watching the State of Origin, you see Gorden Tallis ripping into them.

"I reckon I'll have flashbacks like that and get fired up."

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Ever the professional, Lui was in at Raiders HQ putting in a gym session on Thursday.

Then it was home to clean and pack as he prepared to move house.

He's made a couple of Queensland squads before - the open schoolboys and the under-17s - but had always dreamed of playing with the big boys.

But it took some convincing he was in the squad to prepare for Origin I in Adelaide on November 4.

"I got a heads up from 'Paps'. He gave me a bit of a heads up beforehand, but I was still unsure because I hadn't heard anything from anyone else so I didn't want to get my hopes up," Lui said.

"He got told that he could let me know. That's what he said to me anyways.

"He was more excited than I was when he was telling me ... but after I got that phone call [on Wednesday] I was stoked."

Lui could think of nothing better than to make his Origin debut alongside his good mate Papalii.

Although it could mean a bit more work for him - he not only cooks Papalii's lunch in at the Raiders' centre of excellence, but he's also doubled as his taxi driver in recent weeks.

"That would be one of the highlights of my career if I was able to partner him in the starting line up," Lui said.

"Especially how close we are and playing in the same team in clubland. That'll definitely be one of the highlights."