The man they call House credits settling down at home with a rugby league renaissance that has him back as a NSW State of Origin regular.

Penrith second-rower Trent Waterhouse says the unlikely pair of his two-year-old daughter Isla and 34-year-old warhorse Petero Civoniceva have helped him get his life together off the footy field.

Waterhouse looked set to become a NSW and Test mainstay when he was a part of the Panthers' star-studded premiership-winning side of 2003 but a combination of injuries and club form led to a five-year gap between Origin call-ups.

The 29-year-old played Origin in 2004 but had to wait until last year to grace the game's biggest stage again.

He was also a Kangaroo between 2003-05 before returning to the green and gold last year.

"I've got a bit older and a bit wiser and a bit smarter about my game so I definitely think I'm playing the best footy in my career so far and I've still got plenty to offer I think," Waterhouse told AAP.

"You just grow up a bit and get a bit more mature.

"I became a dad and just settled down a bit with my home life.

"That sort of coincided a bit with me starting to play a lot better footy, settling down a bit away from the park.

"It's been a crucial part of the process."

But the cute and adorable has been complemented by the steel and discipline of Penrith captain Civoniceva, who will be on the opposite side in Wednesday's Origin I at ANZ Stadium.

"You just look at the way he holds himself away from the field, he's just a gentleman all round," Waterhouse said of the 41-Test stalwart.

"He's 34 and he's playing the best footy of his career, he's just getting better and better.

"I've learned a lot from the big fella.

"I'm stoked that he's staying at the club (until the end of 2012), he's been great for us."

Waterhouse says he already feels a bond with fellow Blues backrowers Ben Creagh and Anthony Watmough, with selectors ticking by the trio after they were part of NSW's upset 28-16 win in game three last year.

"The more times you play together, the closer you get," he said.

"That's where you bond, out on the field, when you get out there and you win together.

"It's great to see them back and hopefully we can do the job again.

"It's going to be a tough grind in the middle of that park so we're going to have to be really ripping in.

"That's where it's going to be won."

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