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It wouldn't be a surprise to discover Dallas Johnson's favourite book is The Little Engine That Could.
The 25-year-old Queensland and Melbourne back-rower has spent most of his life being told he couldn't do something, only to prove the doubters wrong.
Listed at 181cm and 92kg, although that may be a little generous, he's dwarfed by many of his NRL counterparts. Take his NSW opposite on Wednesday night Paul Gallen, who is 10kg heavier than Johnson.
"People always said I was too small to play in the NRL," he said. "I dunno. I kept plugging away and didn't believe them. I just had to believe in myself I would get there."
Johnson has arrived.
Already he's earned selection for the Melbourne Storm team of the decade, won two State of Origin series with Queensland and appeared in one grand final with another appearance on the cards this season.
He also received widespread acclaim recently with 62 tackles in 77 minutes in State of Origin II, an Origin record.
"I suppose it's just part of my job," Johnson said bashfully. "Defending is something I based my game around as I came through the grades. I'm trying to develop my attack every year and every game but my defence is what has got me there."
Johnson is confident of overcoming a knee injury in time to play on Wednesday. The Queensland side are targeting an Origin whitewash, the first time the Maroons would have achieved the feat since the heady days of 1995.
Johnson said it was strong motivation for Queensland - although they celebrated their series win when the side got together last week - but it's also a powerful force for NSW.
Willie Mason will go down in history for a number of things throughout his headline-grabbing career but he wants no part of joining the record books for another reason.
"We don't want to go down as one of the worst Origin sides ever," Mason told reporters last week. "It would be totally embarrassing. You would go down in history."
Only six teams have been on the end of an Origin whitewash since it went to a three-game series in 1982 - three each for Queensland and NSW.
Queensland are firm favourites for Wednesday's match, but the Blues need look no further back than 2005 to see that winning in Brisbane is possible.
They will just need to get through Johnson to do it.
