Matt Burton has reportedly been selected by Mal Meninga to join him at this year's Rugby League World Cup in England, and don a Kangaroos jersey for the first time in his career.
The headgear-clad five-eighth has only just finished his first full NRL season in the halves, however it hasn't taken long for the premiership-winner to rise up the representative ranks, earning his maiden New South Wales jersey in June.
Meninga has reportedly been ringing clubs eliminated from the competition to inform them which players have been selected in the train-on squad, which will be cut to a 24-man squad closer to the side's departure.
Canterbury supremo Phil Gould, speaking on 100% Footy, confirmed that the Bulldogs had delayed ankle surgery for the Dubbo junior in order to allow Burton to travel overseas at season's end.
“He can play a number of positions. He’s in that ilk of player now and I think it’d be a great experience for him to go away,” Gould said on the program.
“I know he’s looking forward to it. We had actually booked him in for surgery last week; he had a little problem with his ankle. But we’re happy to suspend that just to wait out and see what happens with the World Cup tour. If he goes, good luck to him.”
The former Panther played every minute of every Canterbury game in 2022, and while he could reportedly become Tino Fa'asuamaleaui's Kangaroos team mate despite their Origin brawl, NSW coach Brad Fittler knows that with Burton's poise, it won't be an issue come tournament time.
“What he has shown in a couple of years with the Blues, his demeanour under pressure, and the inspiration side of things, there are not many players who have both qualities,” Fittler said.
Burton won't be the only debutant in the squad it seems, with Fox Sports revealing the likes of Jeremiah Nanai, Reuben Cotter, Murray Taulagi, Hudson Young, Angus Crichton, Harry Grant, Lindsay Collins, Patrick Carrigan and teenager Joseph Suaalii are all firmly in the frame.
