Having spent 12 months in the State of Origin wilderness, Valentine Holmes has declared 2017 the year he wants to finally pull on a maroon jumper.Holmes was blacklisted by Queensland management for the 2016 series after breaking curfew during an emerging squad training camp in Brisbane in February.Holmes was one of eight players who werent considered with the incident knocking him down the pecking order after Dane Gagai and Corey Oates established themselves on the wings in the Maroons 2-1 series triumph.However after starring in Cronullas premiership campaign - where he scored 19 tries to equal David Peacheys club record - hes set his sights on playing on rugby leagues biggest stage next year during the Maroons title defence.Everyone wants to play for their state and country so its definitely a goal of mine, Holmes said.The 21-year-old Sharks star insists he didnt dwell on his Queensland selection ban during the year, arguing he was no certainty to be picked in just his third year of first grade.Now with a finals series and grand final victory under his belt, he said he felt like the time was right for him to play representative footy.Theres unbelievable wingers, fullbacks and centres in the game right now., Holmes said.Dane Gagai scored three tries (in game two), Corey Oates is killing it and he played in a grand final last year so you cant go past him.If that didnt happen at the start of the year, I dont know if I would have got picked so I didnt dwell on it too much.Im still young and I dont know if I would have been ready. Im glad Ive played in finals and a grand final on the big stage, Im more confident.Cheap Custom T-shirts China . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about No. Cheap Custom Jerseys Store .500 on the season. The Jets are now 0-5-1 in the second game of back-to-backs. The game started the same way the Vancouver game started the night before, with the Jets taking the first two penalties of the game and killing off the first, but the Oilers getting on the board first, scoring on the second man-advantage. http://www.customjerseyschina.com/ .C. -- Calgarys Kevin Koe did it the hard way again. Clearance Custom Jerseys Shop . Sgt. Eric ONeal says most of the arrests at Monday nights game were for public drunkenness, though one person was taken into custody on suspicion of trying to steal a seat from the stadium. Wholesale Custom Jerseys . On Tuesday, Ottawa placed forward Cory Conacher and defenceman Joe Corvo on waivers as trade rumours swirl around the Senators.Paul Gallen is one of the toughest and most passionate players ever to wear a New South Wales jersey but Queensland great Chris Close says he still doesnt deserve a State of Origin farewell.Gallen, who is due to play his final Origin game, made his Blues debut in 2006 - coincidentally, that was also the year the Maroons started their triumphant era of 10 series wins in 11 years.However, among the heartbreak there is one highlight.In 2014, Gallen captained the Blues to their solitary series victory but not even that can mask a dismal Origin record of just 15 wins from 23 previous attempts - a record not lost on Close.Hes a great player - hes been captain in six of the 10 losing Origin series for New South Wales; thats fantastic, Close told ESPN with more than a hint of sarcasm.I dont wish Paul Gallen any harm but its an absolute fact. I think hes a good player but I dont think hes a superstar.Gallen has always been as unpopular as daylight saving in Queensland, and its a status he is more than happy to embrace.His confrontational football style made him public enemy No. 1 in Queensland a very long time ago, and hes adopted a similarly aggressive approach off the field.Gallen famously described the Maroons fans as two-heads, and he fired another parting shot ahead of his Origin swansong.dddddddddddd.Ill say one thing about Queenslanders, I think theyre bad winners to be honest with you, Gallen said. I think theres a respectful hatred there.Theres that many times I go to Queensland with the Australian side and everyone says wed love to have you as a Queenslander any day of the week and I find that an insult.Its difficult to imagine Close as one of those Queenslanders. In fact, you get the feeling that the mere sight of the Cronulla captain in Origin III will infuriate him.Gallen escaped charge for a late slinging tackle on Parramatta hooker Isaac de Gois in an NRL match - fuelling Queenslands long-held belief that New South Wales receive preferential treatment.What a grubby act. If he can sit and watch that and justify it then hes a grub, Close said.Hes not learning from his past. I remember he got interviewed years ago and he said he wanted to show his kids that he wasnt the person that everybody thinks he is.He hasnt changed one bit. ' ' '