John Sutton ready for step up to Origin

AAP | 06/05/09 | 0

John Sutton believes the time's right to step up his representative ambitions as he prepares to battle Terry Campese for the five-eighth spot in the NSW Origin rugby league side.

Souths playmaker Sutton and Raiders star Campese, both 24, were chosen ahead of the more experienced Braith Anasta in the initial 40-man NSW squad.

It's good that they (the selectors) are giving a lot of the younger blokes a go," Sutton said.

"I'm getting on for 25 now, so I would like to play higher honours.

"This is a good step for me, a good challenge."

Sutton preferred to concentrate on his own game rather than hype up a showdown with Campese for the Blues No.6 shirt.

"I just concentrate on my own game and don't really get into that stuff, I've just got to do what I can do and that's about it," Sutton said.

Now back in Souths No.6 jersey after a period at lock, Sutton is looking to build on a representative career which consists of a single appearance for City last year and a 2005 selection in a Prime Minister's XIII.

His younger sister Jo has already got the representative jump on him, having spent a number of years in the Australian 21 and under netball squad.

Sutton and another emerging Souths star Chris Sandow are forming a useful combination for a very competitive Rabbitohs outfit.

"I think my form has been going alright, so I've just got to keep improving," Sutton said.

"I had a really good pre-season and training the whole pre-season at five-eighth really helped me.

"I want to make five-eighth at Souths my own.

"I'm enjoying it, me and Chris Sandow are getting a bit of a combination going.

I'm getting on for 25 now, so I would like to play higher honours. Rabbitohs five-eighth John Sutton