Think less, run more. That's the biggest lesson Dragons skipper Gareth Widdop has taken from England's run to last year's World Cup final.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Widdop was the NRL's five-eighth of the year at club level, but took his game up a further notch when he shifted to fullback for his country.
The 28-year-old was arguably the player of the tournament in the No.1 jumper after coach Wayne Bennett delivered a simple edict.
"I probably didn't have much time to think about it. I just turned up one morning and they said 'you're playing fullback'," Widdop said. "When you're playing fullback, you're not stuck on one side, you're not directing the team around. I didn't have to think too much. I just went out there and played football.
"We had a big year [at the Dragons], we obviously didn't play finals and it was a bit of a roller coaster. To get told 'just go out there and play football', I really enjoyed.
"It was a bit of refresher that if you think too much and you overthink, you're never going to play as well. That's the biggest thing I'll take away, to not over-analyse things.
"Hopefully I can bring a bit of that confidence and what I learned from that tour to the Dragons."
He'll return to his regular No. 6 jumper at the Dragons, but he's hopeful the arrival of Ben Hunt will allow him to keep an instinctive mindset.
It will also usher in an era of unprecedented stability at the club with the current spine all locked down on long-term deals.
Having played alongside seven different halfbacks in four seasons at the Dragons, Widdop said it's a welcome change.
"It definitely helps, especially when you're in the spine," Widdop said.
"The last few years I've probably had six or seven different halfbacks, so signing a halfback who's going to be here for a few years is great.
"In the past we've had halfbacks chopping and changing, hookers in and out, so I'm hoping we've got stability there now and we can all work together to make sure we're playing some good football.
"[Hunt] will take over a bit more of the direction and just let me roam around a little bit. Things won't change too much, we've got a shape we like to play with and he'll just fit into that and add to it where he can."