HE’S A TRUE BL UE

COWBOYS fullback Lachlan Coote has sent out a reminder to New South Wales selectors he is still chasing a State of Origin debut.

Coote is just over three weeks into pre- season training after withdrawing from Scotland’s Rugby League World Cup campaign, choosing instead to fully recover from an injured ankle he managed all the way through North Queensland’s stunning finals run.

It was an agonising decision for Coote, who was part of Scotland’s giant- killing Four Nations tournament in 2016, but Coote hopes the decision pays off in a big way.

Top of his list is again cementing the Cowboys’ No. 1 spot, which Coote says is far from assured given the impressive pre- season efforts of Townsville Blackhawks recruit Carlin Anderson.

Then it’s replicating the form that made Coote an indispensable player in the Cowboys’ 2015 premiership season, and if that happens, hopefully a possible Origin nod.

“There’s always a chance of injury and stuff like that,” Coote said.

“They’re pretty set in what team they have at the moment, but there’s always injuries that can occur, and I’ll definitely put my hand up if I was selected.”

Cowboys football general manager Peter Parr will be part of NSW’s management team next year after new Blues coach Brad Fittler head hunted his expertise, but Coote is not expecting his Origin stocks to rise now that Parr Blues’ camp.

“It would be good to get a selection, but I’m not sure how much he’ll have to do with it,” he said. “We’ll see how it goes. “I think he’ll be good for the Blues; he’s brutal at times, but he’ll be good for them I reckon.”

Coote is back into the pre- season swing after returning from the offseason break with what he said was “a little bit around the belly”.

“The honeymoon got the best of me,” Coote said with a laugh.

“It was the first time I was in the fat squad, but I was still making my times.

“It’s been a pretty tough three and a half weeks, but I obviously had a good break and enjoyed it.

“All the niggling injuries I had during the season — definitely with the ankle — it’s come good now. is part of the

“That seven weeks was a good break for it and I had some quality time with the family as well.”

But Coote said he did feel guilty withdrawing from World Cup duty.

“It was a hard decision to make. I felt like I let down the boys after what we achieved in the Four Nations,” he said.

“It would have been good to back it up in the World Cup.”

Coote is not stirring over the decision, however, given the competition he’s facing from Anderson, who finished his successful season at the Blackhawks as the Queensland Cup’s highest points scorer.

“If I was in his shoes as a young bloke coming through I’d definitely want to try and get a crack,” he said.

“After what happened last year with all the injuries — I don’t want to wish that upon us again — but anything can happen.”