FOR weeks, veteran forward Craig Fitzgibbon has shrugged his shoulders and cracked a thousand-watt smile when asked if he will retire at the end of this season. "I just don't know," has been his mantra.

Now, the 30-year-old's shock recall - along with that of Dragons utility Ben Hornby - to the NSW side yesterday for the State of Origin opener has almost convinced him to play on, if only for one more year. "It throws a spanner in the works," Fitzgibbon admitted. "I'm probably leaning towards playing on at the moment."

The Roosters captain was so convinced his representative career - which includes eight games for NSW, the last in 2005 - was over that he became emotional in the sheds after playing for Country in their 22-22 draw with City in Wollongong a fortnight ago.

"He teared up because he thought it was his last representative game," NSW captain Danny Buderus said of the City-Country match. "He's playing it cool today. I thought he'd be in here by now, his bags packed ready to go."

Fitzgibbon said: "I wouldn't say I teared up - I'm a pretty unemotional dude - but the closest I was ever going to get to crying was today. After the Country game, it was emotional for me and Bedsy [Buderus] and Bobcat [Andrew Ryan] and Hindy [Nathan Hindmarsh]. We'd played so much rep football together. The fact that was over was a bit upsetting. You hang out with those guys for so long, it all dawned on us all that was the last time we'd be together."

Fitzgibbon's goal-kicking ability, his recent form for the Roosters, and his ability to play long periods under the shortened interchange rules convinced selectors to recall him. He learnt of his selection yesterday when Roosters teammate Mark O'Meley texted him with the news.

"I'd given up on rep selection, in the back of my mind," Fitzgibbon admitted. "When you're still clinging on, you get a bit bitter and twisted about stuff you can't control. It's hard to let go, trust me. When you miss out, it's pretty deflating."

NSW coach Craig Bellamy was of the same opinion. "With all due respect to Fitz, 18 months ago everyone thought he'd lost his legs," he said. "He's certainly found them again. It's a very well deserved spot for him because of how he's been going at club level."

This season was widely expected to be Fitzgibbon's last, with salary cap issues preventing the Roosters from tabling a decent offer. But his consistent club form has other NRL clubs circling.

He's been linked to former club St George Illawarra, although Penrith are believed to be the front-runners for his services. Fitzgibbon's desire, though, is to remain at the Roosters, who have move to room under the cap after Anthony Tupou's decision to sign with the Sharks from next season.

Meanwhile, Hornby admitted he was "shocked" and "a little bit stunned" by his selection. "I guess luck has shone on me a little bit but I'm just going to make the most of my opportunity," he said.

Elsewhere in the Blues camp, Paul Gallen can rest easy, for Anthony Laffranchi insists he will not be seeking any midnight retribution when the pair room together, while Brett White said he also held no ill feelings towards the Cronulla firebrand.

In a controversial start to the season, Gallen labelled White's punch on Ben Ross after the Sharks prop had felled Storm half Cooper Cronk as a "dog act" and was suspended for three matches for raking Laffranchi's face in a move that re-opened a wound near his eye from a head clash.

"I'll be interested to meet him but I'm certainly not one to hold a grudge," White said of Gallen. "We'll probably have a joke about it and maybe an arm wrestle or something."

Laffranchi added: "We've got no dramas with each other … I won't be putting the pillow over his face or giving him a little gouge. It's all good."