Josh Jackson’s development as one of the NRL’s premier back-rowers this year, will be confirmed when he makes his Australia Test debut against Samoa.
Jackson was a key figure in Canterbury’s surge to the NRL grand final and is set to be a key plank in NSW coach Laurie Daley’s long-term State of Origin plans.
Jackson is yet to make his Origin debut, but was called into the Blues camp during their successful campaign last season as an emergency.
The 23-year-old has played two games for Country and Kangaroos coach Tim Sheens inadvertently announced on Saturday, Jackson will make his international debut in Sunday’s must-win Four Nations clash in Wollongong.
“Jackson is picked, Jackson is in the squad … I haven’t released that have I? Well I just did,” Sheens said at the joint captains’ and coaches’ press conference at WIN Stadium on Saturday
“Josh has made our bench, (Kangaroos skipper) Cameron (Smith) is a bit upset with me now …”
Sheens named a record 11 rookies in his 24-man squad due to the absence of a number of regulars including Johnathan Thurston, Matt Scott and Jarryd Hayne.
He blooded five rookies in the first-week loss against New Zealand in Brisbane in Aaron Woods, Daniel Tupou, Dylan Walker, Josh Mansour and Aidan Guerra.
Three more Kangaroos in Sione Mata’utia, Ben Hunt and David Klemmer debuted in last week’s win over England in Melbourne.
However Sheens said the remaining two rookies in the squad, Penrith’s Matt Moylan and Alex Johnston from Souths were unlikely to get a game during the Four Nations, with Australia yet to qualify for next week’s final in Wellington.
“There are a couple of players that haven’t qualified at this stage,” Sheens said.
“For those players it is just a matter of biding your time, that is just being part of a squad, you would like to play everyone but sometimes you can’t.”