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.
Italy
Nathan Brown
He's not the only NRL player in the Italian squad, but after a disappointing season and with an uncertain future facing him, expect Brown to come out with a point to prove as Italy try to improve on their one group stage win from 2017.
Brown's season was affected by form and injury, but he was brought into the squad for the Grand Final by coach Brad Arthur despite not playing NRL since Round 17. He struggled to make an impact in the mere 26 minutes he was afforded that night, but a lot more will be expected of him on the world stage, and he'll be happy to deliver.
Luke Polselli
He may have spent much of his career as a perennial reserve grader, but Polselli has made an impact wherever he goes. After coming through the Panthers' lower-grades and securing a Jersey Flegg premiership success with Cronulla back in 2018, Polselli also helped Newtown defeat Burleigh in the 2019 State Championship on grand final day. He developed a reputation as a hard-working livewire, before moving to Queensland in 2020 due to limited opportunities in the Shire.
After a COVID-impacted season with Mackay, he found his way to the Sunshine Coast and has since returned to form. His numbers have been remarkable, with 22 tries and 19 try assists in 29 appearances. He also averages 135 metres a game. While he faces a battle for the No.1 jersey, his experience and consistency are likely to work in his favour.
Cooper Johns
Another exciting young playmaker, Johns and Polselli will be familiar with each other after Johns spent time playing for the Sunshine Coast during his time with the Melbourne Storm due to the club's feeder arrangement. Being behind Jahrome Hughes and Cameron Munster at the club has limited Johns to just four NRL appearances this year, but he showed he was ready when opportunity knocked, setting up three tries in those appearances.
Off-contract following the season's conclusion, Johns will certainly benefit from an impressive showing on the world stage as he aims to secure his future at club level.
