THEY haven't provided a player for the Kangaroos since David Klemmer in 2019, but the Newcastle Knights look set to be rewarded for their red-hot form when Australian coach Mal Meninga names his squad for the inaugural Pacific Championships.
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Australia play end-of-season Tests against New Zealand and Samoa, and among the players Meninga is understood to be considering are Newcastle trio Kalyn Ponga, Bradman Best and Tyson Frizell.
Ponga has played for the Junior Kangaroos and represented Australia at the World Nines but is yet to receive his first Test cap. He unlikely to be named at fullback ahead of World Cup-winning skipper James Tedesco but could be vying with Brisbane dynamo Reece Walsh for the bench-utility role.
Best would have been an absolute long shot before his spectacular two-try debut for NSW in Origin III, which has been the highlight of his outstanding season.
A host of rivals have since fallen by the wayside, including Tom Trbojevic, Latrell Mitchell and Campbell Graham, who are unavailable through injuries, and Jack Wighton, who has retired from rep football and is under suspension anyway.
It is also unclear when Penrith's Stephen Crichton will be eligible to wear the green and gold, having chosen to represent Samoa at last year's World Cup.
In addition, Valentine Holmes, who has scored 14 tries in 12 Tests for the Kangaroos, may have cost himself a spot after posting an image of himself on social media holding a small bag of an unidentified white powder.
Meninga has named Zac Lomax and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow as his centres in the Prime Minister's XIII to play Papua New Guinea on September 23.
Best, who represented Australian Schoolboys in 2018, played down his chances of a Test debut.
"There's plenty of good centres out there," he said.
"I guess whatever happens, happens. I've just got to concentrate on playing well for the Knights, and if that was to happen, it would be a dream come true.
"Playing for my country is a lifetime goal, but that all comes off the back of how well I play for my club."
Frizell has played in 14 Tests for Australia but none since 2018. The 31-year-old warhorse has arguably never been in better form, appearing in 22 of Newcastle's 25 games this season, and representing NSW in the first two Origin games this year.
Newcastle props Daniel and Jacob Saifiti could potentially come into contention if Newcastle advance further into the finals, but Meninga already has a host of middle-forward options at his disposal, headed by Payne Haas, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, Jake Trbojevic, Lindsay Collins and Pat Carrigan.
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