HE’s become a regular face at Camp Maroon, but Matt Gillett admits he isn’t taking his Queensland jumper for granted as competition for Origin berths intensifies.

The Bribie Island junior made his Origin debut in 2012 and has since become a reliable campaigner, featuring in three consecutive campaigns under Maroons coach Mal Meninga, who appreciates Gillett’s utility value and team-first ethos.

But with the 26-year-old coming off the second major shoulder operation of his career, Gillett doesn’t just expect to walk into a Queensland side looking to exact revenge in 2015.

The Maroons had their remarkable eight-year dynasty finally broken last year and the desire to make amends will only fuel the fight for Origin jumpers in a number of spots.

Gillett accepts he is not immune to the axe.

While he has played nine successive Origin matches, Aidan Guerra’s debut last year, Gavin Cooper’s outstanding form at the Cowboys and the utility value of Daly Cherry-Evans and Bronco Ben Hunt is keeping him honest.

Such is the level of competition even at the Broncos, Gillett’s representative ambitions are a distant second to his performances at Red Hill.

“I can’t look too far ahead to Origin because there’s no guarantees of a starting spot at the Broncos,” he said.

“I love being part of the Queensland set-up, it’s really improved me as a player, so hopefully I can back up again this season and prove my worth to Mal.

“As the year goes on, a few of those goals (Origin and Test football) might come into play, but I want to win a starting spot at the Broncos and play consistent football under Wayne.

“We have two front-rowers in Sammy Thaiday and ‘Cozza’ (Corey Parker) coming to the back row, so we have a lot of competition there.

“I haven’t been given any word from Wayne Bennett (Broncos coach), but hopefully there’s no more utility stuff. I’d like to cement myself in the back row and hopefully I get the call up again for Queensland.”

Always looking for an edge, Gillett plans to put his defensive game under the microscope this season to keep his Broncos and Origin rivals at bay.

Gillett has clinched Test and Origin jumpers on the back of his dynamic bursts in attack, but the 26-year-old believes he can go to another level by improving his efforts without the ball.

Statistics show Gillett recorded the highest missed-tackle average of any Bronco last season, missing 63 tackles from 21 matches for a mark of three per game.

A damaged left shoulder clearly didn’t help his cause, but Gillett has returned to full fitness and is determined to raise the bar this season.

“Every year you have to get better,” said Gillett, who missed Brisbane’s recent World Club Series trip to England to rest his shoulder.

“No-one is perfect in this game. Everyone has something to work on in their game and for me I definitely have to look at my defence.

“I’ve been working hard in this off-season on my defensive skills. I want to make a few better defensive reads and being on the edge, I need to get those reads right and look after our halves.

“I didn’t go to England because I was getting my shoulder right. I was probably right to go a few weeks ago, but we’ve taken a few precautions because it’s a long season.

“I carried it in the last few games last season and in our final (against the Cowboys), I had no strength in it at all.

“It was hard, I felt I let the boys down a bit not being able to give my all that night, but now the shoulder is all fixed up and I’m ready to go.”