Ben Talty made his NRL debut last season and, since then, has gone from strength to strength at Red Hill.
Although acknowledging he is still early in his career, Talty has told this masthead that he would take the opportunity to represent England ahead of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup, being eligible to represent the nation through his grandparents.
The 27-year-old has proved to be a reliable impact bench option for Michael Maguire this season, averaging 84 run metres and 26 post-contact metres a game.
Speaking to Zero Tackle, Talty spoke about his desire to represent his mum's side on the international stage.
"I'd love the opportunity to represent my mother's heritage," he said.
"My grandparents, on my mother's side, were both born and raised in England, and I'd love the opportunity to represent them.
"It would mean a lot to them and my family."
However, the late bloomer knows there is no guarantee he will be at the 2026 RLWC, and maintains that his focus is on his playing consistency for the Broncos.
"I think it's important to not get too ahead of myself and just stay well-grounded," Talty continued.
"I understand where I'm at now in my career, and I've got a long way to go to even be considered for representative honours such as England. I just want to keep training and playing consistently".
In his favour, though, Talty has previously played under McDermott while both men were at the Newcastle Knights, attributing a lot of his development to the incoming England coach.
"I really respect Brian McDermott," he exclaimed.
"He taught me a lot about my footy, especially at a young age, and I really looked up to him as a coach."
Talty has been named to start in the absence of Payne Haas, for the Broncos this Friday against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
