Roosters workhorse Nat Butcher has been a surprise addition to Mal Meninga’s extended Kangaroos squad, while Knights star Kalyn Ponga is firming to make his Test debut.
Butcher’s only representative game to date was playing for the PM’s XIII last year but he’s bolted in the squad, with his Roosters teammates James Tedesco and Lindsay Collins also picked.
Butcher, 26, has played 126 games for the Roosters – including the 2019 grand final – since the backrower made his NRL debut in 2016.
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Australia will face New Zealand and Samoa in a tri-nations tournament next month and Meninga has so far named a 22-man squad made up from players whose club seasons have ended.
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Ponga and centre Bradman Best, who made his NSW debut this year, have also been added to the squad after Newcastle’s season ended against the Warriors on Saturday.
The duo led the Knights to a 10-game winning streak – the club’s longest in 22 years – before their run ended in the second week of finals.
Ponga, 25, has starred for Queensland and played for the Maori All-Stars due his father’s heritage, but is yet to pull on a Kangaroos jersey.
Newcastle are reportedly confident their star fullback won’t need shoulder surgery following a AC joint injury he suffered late in the season.
Meninga’s Prime Minister’s XIII will play a Papua New Guinea PM’s XIII in Port Moresby on Saturday afternoon.
Warriors THRASH Knights to book Prelim | 02:33
KANGAROOS EXTENDED SQUAD
Roosters: James Tedesco, Lindsay Collins, Nat Butcher
Knights: Kalyn Ponga, Bradman Best
Rabbitohs: Latrell Mitchell, Campbell Graham, Cody Walker and Cameron Murray.
Sea Eagles: Daly Cherry-Evans and Jake Trbojevic.
Dragons: Ben Hunt and Zac Lomax
Bulldogs: Josh Addo-Carr
Eels: Reagan Campbell-Gillard and J’maine Hopgood
Cowboys: Reece Robson, Valentine Holmes, Reuben Cotter and Murray Taulagi
Dolphins: Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
Titans: Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
