It's the Rugby League World Cup - a cross-cultural melting pot with teams from the Americas, Europe and the Pacific ready to do battle.
But with 16 teams in the men's competition and hundreds of names to familiarise yourself with, we've had a look at the squads to determine just who are the three players from each nation you need to be watching.
Cook Islands
Kayal Iro
He may be the son of the coach but make no mistake, Iro has earned his ticket to the World Cup after a sensational season for the Newtown Jets, taking the iconic club to a minor premiership. He finished the NSW Cup season first for post-contact metres and overall metres, fifth in tries (14), third in line breaks, second in tackle breaks and also set up six tries.
Though the Jets couldn't get the job done with a premiership, Iro's form saw him earn his NRL debut, with the likelihood of more first-team opportunities looking high for 2023 – but a strong showing at the World Cup won't hurt his chances either.
Dylan Napa
While some have found the big man's inclusion a bit mystifying, they shouldn't. Napa played for the Kuki's at the 2013 World Cup and brings a wealth of experience to the side, playing 20 Super League games for Catalans this year, adding to his 176 NRL appearances.
We all know what Napa is capable of at his best and his experience will prove a valuable asset to a pack already containing Zane Tetevano and Tepai Moeroa – a line-up that certainly gives the Cook Islands an advantage in what promises to be a close battle for second spot.
Esan Marsters
It's safe to say the last few years haven't gone the way Marsters would have wanted, after bursting onto the NRL scene as a tackle-breaking, goal-kicking dynamo at Wests Tigers. He's since had stints in North Queensland and the Gold Coast but he has averaged fewer than eight game a season since he departed Concord.
But despite his struggles in the NRL, Marsters was still named captain for his country in the mid-season loss to Samoa, and now that he's secured a deal to head to Huddersfield next year, where more opportunities are likely to present themselves, he'll be headed to the UK with a fresh outlook and can hopefully remind the rugby league world of how damaging he can be.
