The extended Kangaroos squad was announced today for the 2024 Pacific Championship, a who's-who of top-end NRL talent.
31 players were selected for the preliminary group, including representatives from every team bar the Wests Tigers, Gold Coast Titans, and Cronulla Sharks.
One position that will be the number 14 jersey, and while incumbent holder Ben Hunt has been named, NRL expert Phil Gould has thrown his support behind a Roosters player to snag the spot.
MORE: NRL 2024 finals results, schedule | NRL casualty ward, latest injury news | Every NRL player retiring in 2024 |
Phil Gould backs Roosters rising star's national team selection
It's been a terrific year for Roosters star Connor Watson, including two State of Origin call-ups and a club season that sees him one win away from a grand final appearance.
According to Phil Gould, he should also be rewarded with a spot on the national side, especially given his flexibility as a player.
"They should be picked from those playing in the big games at the end of the year," he said on his podcast Six Tackles With Gus.
"They've got the form on the board and Watson proved his worth in Origin. He missed game one due to injury, but he got there for games two and three, which they won.
"He's a very versatile type of player, he can play in any position and particularly in the key positions, he is a great back up.
"They are invaluable and I think he would be an inspired choice and it would be a wonderful achievement for him.
"He had a terrible time with injury... he really struggled with that."
Watson and the Roosters play the Melbourne Storm on Friday.
