O’Neill’s wild ride in 2017

JUSTIN O’Neill has mixed emotions of 2017 labelling it a “rough year”. He started the year an Australian rep and incumbent Origin player.

But a poor first half of the season not only saw him banished from the representative arena, it left him barely clinging on to his Cowboys jersey.

A late- season elbow injury also threatened to end his season prematurely. Now he is preparing for tilt at a third premiership.

O’Neill said it took him some weeks to mentally recover from his Origin axing after the Maroons were thumped in game one.

“That was a tough period,” O’Neill said.

“Not being picked for Origin was tough.

“I had to turn my focus to the Cowboys which was a goal for me to be strong for the Cowboys and finish the season on a better note.

“It’s been an up and down year. It’s been weird.

“Disappointing not to play the rest of the Origin series. A few injuries as well doesn’t help. It’s been a rough year.”

O’Neill felt he needed to “reconnected” with the team to try and resurrect his 2017 season.

“I tried to focus on the things you do well and doing them the best you can in a game and making it as simple as possible and not trying to complicate things,” O’Neill said.

O’Neill played for the Storm in their 2012 title win before being part of the Cowboys 2015 success. Off- contract at the end of last season, he was almost enticed to rejoin Melbourne before inking a two- year contract extension at the Cowboys.

“When I left it was hard to leave but once I did I soon realised the move had done me all the better,” O’Neill said. “I had a great year the year after I left. I found myself playing Origin and got a premiership. It was a big year. The Cowboys have helped me become the player I am.”

He will mark Will Chambers who snatched O’Neill’s Kangaroos jersey during this year’s mid- season Test.

“It’s going to be a massive challenge,” O’Neill said.

“He is in great form.”