Australia coach Mal Meninga will use the Rugby League Nines World Cup and a revamped Junior Kangaroos to help develop the national team of the future.
Meninga unveiled a classy 16-man squad for the Nines on Monday, with Kalyn Ponga to headline a group that has 13 players with no Test experience.
Six of those young stars will then back up and play in an under-23s Australian team against France in Wollongong on October 25, to be coached by Neil Henry.
“A lot of those younger players are also in the PM’s XIII team (to play Fiji on Friday) so it gives them great experience,” Meninga said.
“The whole idea of the under-23 concept is both the national squad and under-23 squad will train together with a view to setting down a program over the next couple of years.
“Guys like David Fifita, Kalyn Ponga, all those young superstars at the moment have got a great opportunity to come into the top squad over the next couple of years.”
Ponga, Fifita, Ryan Papenhuyzen, Curtis Scott, Reuben Garrick and AJ Brimson will feature in both the Nines and junior squad.
Meninga will also unleash the likes of Josh Addo-Carr, Wade Graham, Tyson Frizell and Ben Hunt in the nines at Bankwest Stadium on October 18 and 19 before calling them into his Test squad.
Parramatta halfback Mitchell Moses will also play in the 12-team tournament for Australia after having previously represented Lebanon, while Eels captain Clint Gutherson has also been picked.
Players from Canberra and the Sydney Roosters were not considered for the nines, but several were rewarded with junior selection.
While seven grand final stars were named in the senior Kangaroos squad, Canberra’s Corey Horsburgh, and Emre Guler are in the juniors alongside the Roosters’ Angus Crichton, Victor Radley and Nat Butcher.
Australian nines squad: Josh Addo-Carr, Jai Arrow, AJ Brimson, Nathan Brown, Kyle Feldt, David Fifita, Tyson Frizell, Reuben Garrick, Wade Graham, Clint Gutheron, Ben Hunt, Mitchell Moses, Ryan Papenhuyzen, Kalyn Ponga, Curtis Scott, Cody Walker.
Junior Kangaroos: Ryan Papenhuyzen, Campbell Graham, Curtis Scott, Brad Parker, Reuben Garrick, Kalyn Ponga, Brodie Croft, Corey Horsburgh, Reed Mahoney, Thomas Flegler, David Fifita, Angus Crichton, Victor Radley, AJ Brimson, Nat Butcher, Emre Guler, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, Paul Momirovski.
