The Test forward will return to the No.13 jersey for Sunday's decider against Melbourne after watching his teammates come back from 14-0 behind to beat Penrith 16-14 in the preliminary final.
The 27-year-old was mobbed by fans on Wednesday as 6000 supporters watched the Broncos train at Suncorp Stadium before the team prepared to fly to Sydney.
Carrigan reflected on last Sunday as a roller-coaster ride.
"To be honest the day went for ages. I woke up 4.30am and I was more nervous than I am when I played," Carrigan said.
"Penrith started really well, but when the second half got under way I was confident the boys could get the result."
Carrigan thought about missing a home prelim, how he had no control over the result and may have played his last game for the season.
It taught him perspective. Second-rower Jack Gosiewski and winger Jesse Arthars are not in the 17 for the grand final, but easily could have been.
"There was always a lot of emotions, but I had to step back and look at some of our stories from this year," Carrigan said.
"Jack Gosiewski has lost both his parents in the last 12 months and then got injured (broken collarbone).
"When other people are playing well you can be struggling to get back in the team.
"Jesse Arthars was the leading try-scorer in the comp and then broke his ribs, and now Josiah Karapani has been playing unreal.
"When you take that sort of perspective, it was about staying ready, staying disciplined, trusting the process and backing the boys to get the result. It was never about me."
Carrigan is one of 10 survivors from the 2023 grand final side in Sunday's 17 who don't want to fail again after giving up a 16-point lead to be run down by Penrith 26-24.
"Of course, that would be the natural emotions for everyone involved," Carrigan said.
"The way we lost was a talking point, and that was pretty shattering given the hard work that we had been through.
"As a group, we have individually grown a lot. It was a unique experience and something we have definitely learned from.
"Some key areas, that we potentially didn't know about previously, are things we value now.
"It's about growing through those times, and then when you get your next opportunity, taking it. We certainly put ourselves in position for this opportunity, but it's about taking it come Sunday."
The Broncos lost the 2023 grand final, and the Storm followed suit in 2024. One of them will go one better on Sunday in Sydney.
"For both teams, there's the old saying you have to lose one to win one, but we learnt a lot from that experience in 2023," Carrigan said.
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