Six new faces named in Kangaroos squad

Author: Chris Kennedy NRL.com Reporter
Timestamp: Mon 7 Oct 2019, 01:27 PM

Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has named several new faces for the upcoming Tests against New Zealand and Tonga.

Roosters grand final-winning skipper Boyd Cordner will captain a squad stacked with in-form players and seasoned representative stars.

Broncos young gun Payne Haas, Canberra's Clive Churchill Medal winner Jack Wighton and winger Nick Cotric, Souths forward Cameron Murray, Dragons prop Paul Vaughan and Storm winger Josh Addo-Carr are the uncapped players in the squad.

Meninga said Raiders prop Josh Papalii was an injury concern with Storm lock Dale Finucane on standby.

Meninga and ARLC chair Peter Beattie also spoke about the confusion around Wighton's Clive Churchill Medal win in Sunday night's grand final loss to the Roosters, confirming at no stage was anyone other than the Canberra pivot was set to claim the award once the votes were entered.

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves had been given an indication by an official to head towards the stage to receive the medal.

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"From my point of view it's done in a safe, secure way. We do it through an app. It's all personalised so I don't know what actually went on," Meninga said.

Beattie added: "There was a process, the process was going on, the person who won frankly was the one who should have won.

"The vote was being counted, there were some people who thought they knew what was going on who didn't. That's the bottom line. When all the votes were counted Jack won. That's it."

Meninga confirmed Wighton was being looked at as a centre rather than a five-eighth with three specialist halves in the squad, despite an injury cloud over Roosters five-eighth Luke Keary.

A replacement player would be brought in for Keary if he succumbed to an ankle injury, while Melbourne’s Blues forward Dale Finucane was on standby for Raiders star Josh Papalii, who suffered a possible pectoral injury in the grand final and is awaiting medical clearance.

"[Keary] was selected in the squad so a bit like Josh, we'll see what happens over the next couple of weeks. He's not required into camp until the 18th of October so we've got some time to work through whether he's got an injury if he's fit enough or if not we'll find a replacement. Cameron Munster is in the squad anyway."

Meninga also said he was “very happy” Haas was in the senior squad after his breakout season for the Broncos.

"[Haas] has had an outstanding year. Got Dally M prop of the year, extraordinary talent for someone so young," Meninga said.

With just four Queenslanders in the squad, the list has the heaviest NSW representation since the beginning of Queensland's era of Origin dominance started with the 2006 series win.

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"It's about picking the best players – that's what the national squad is all about," Meninga said.

"Yes Origin has an impact on that but also club form and premierships and winning grand finals and loyalty.

"There are a whole heap of factors that go to picking a Kangaroos side. We very rarely take a view for the future because we pick who the best is at that time. We believe, of the players available, this is the best side available at this time."