Turning 18 virtually on the eve of the inaugural NRLW season in 2018, she'd worn her first Jillaroos jumper before that year was out. Still only 20, it's easy to assume it's all come pretty easy for the precociously talented Corrimal product.

In reality, that assumption couldn't be further from the truth, a fact that really hits home as she prepares to make her maiden State of Origin appearance on Friday night.

It's a debut that was meant to happen back in November only to be scuppered on game day when a mystery ailment she'd been pushing through for the best part of the year finally won out.

"I was in so much pain pretty much all of last season," Davis said.

"I was really unsure what it was. I just thought it was a back injury, that I was training too much. I was super fatigued all the time and struggling with fitness on the field which has never been a problem for me.

"It was getting progressively worse and and in the last game with Dragons I pulled out early. I couldn't bend over, I couldn't accelerate, couldn't sprint, couldn't do anything. I knew I was fit enough but I was gassed one minute in.

"I didn't know what was going on. I thought maybe I was over-working it, but we worked out through Origin camp that it wasn't that, it was rheumatoid arthritis."

Thinking over-training was the culprit wasn't that much of a leap for a trainer so dedicated she spent the first COVID lockdown building a gym in her house.

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Like that set-up, rebuilding body and mind post-diagnosis has taken time, but she's confident both are more than fit for the Origin arena - especially the latter.

"I know I was playing in really bad condition last year but that gives me a lot of confidence now," she said.

"I think the best athletes in any sport, the one's really at the top of their game, they all go through injuries, they go through their own shit and their own problems.

"It's the ones who are resilient, push through and get themselves back in the game that become the best. I had a lot of rocky times at the start of the year. I was pretty unwell and it just wasn't progressing.

"It wasn't me so much, but people I was close to were preparing me to face having this year off but I was very determined.

"If I could [mentally] push through what I did last year, I feel really good now going into games like this knowing my body is right."

Demonstrated toughness, particularly as No. 9, bodes well as she heads into an arena synonymous with that trait but she's still expecting it to be step up on anything she's experienced.

"They always say Origin's another level," she said.

"Obviously Test [football] is the highest [honour] but all the girls say it's a different intensity altogether. I don't really know what's in store for me but I'm sure once I got into the game I'll be fine.

"I'm super excited, preparation's been great to this point. I've known all the girls here for a while now so I'm pretty comfortable being back here and I'm in a much better position than I was six months ago.

"I know exactly what my role is. I'll be nervous [on Friday] but I'm feeling really good and just super keen to go out there and get the job done."

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