Nothing that NSW can throw at him on Wednesday night will break Joe Ofahengaue.

The Maroons debutant once pushed himself so hard in training he collapsed and was taken to hospital.

As a kid, he was chased by his father brandishing a bat after faking an injury to try and get out of running more 800s at the oval near their Ipswich home.

They are the sacrifices that have been made by the 23-year-old forward in order to reach the NRL arena and he is determined not to let his team, state and his family down when he makes his Holden State of Origin debut.

"I just know how hard it was to get here,” Ofahengaue told NRL.com.

"Ever since I made the team I've looked at it as a challenge for me not to let down anyone, not to let all that hard work go to waste.

"I'm not trying to put pressure on myself but that's the mental challenge in my head.

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“I don't want to waste all the time and that my parents and my brothers spent on me, getting me fit and to where I am today.

"I just don't want to let anyone down, especially the guys that are going to run out alongside me."

Ofahengaue was 17 when he pushed himself to the point of complete exhaustion during pre-season training with the Broncos under 20s.

The squad was given the torturous task of running The Gap - a hilly Brisbane suburb - in 40-degree January heat, and Ofahengaue was given fullback Kurt Capewell as a pacesetter because he was too quick for the other middle forwards.