While the NRL season draws to a close, football fans still have plenty to look forward to, including the upcoming Pacific Championships.
Among the tough choices needed to be made by head coach Mal Meninga is the coveted number one jersey, with a number of competing figures in contention.
Will incumbent fullback James Tedesco hold his spot, will last season's Dally M Medalist Kalyn Ponga claim the title, or could reigning three-time champion and NSW fullback Dylan Edwards keep his dream run going?
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Who will play fullback for Australia at Pacific Championships?
The Australian selectors will be spoilt for choice come the Pacific Championships, with a handful of bonafide superstars able and willing to pull on the green and gold at fullback.
Speaking on Big Sports Breakfast, Kangaroos selector Laurie Daley made a case for both Ponga, who recently starred in his team's narrow finals loss, as well as Edwards, who earlier this year ousted Tedesco from the Blues Origin side.
"I think [Ponga’s] a very, very, very, very good player. I tell you what, if he can continue to do what he does on a weekly basis and if he gets through an injury free season, I’d like to see what we’re saying then," Daley said.
"Would he play better than Dylan Edwards? Dylan Edwards was sensational on Friday and he’s been sensational for the last three years... so you can say that Dylan Edwards is arguably the best fullback the game has seen [recently].
"If you talk purely on skill you’re going Kalyn. But there’s a lot of things that Dylan Edwards does in his game that you would want every fullback to do."
However, after Edwards Origin selection over Tedesco, Meninga made it clear that this choice would not rule the current Australian fullback out of holding his spot.
"We will be picking on form and loyalty and not so much on the future," he said at the time.
"That’s how I think representative teams should be picked. It’s not about the future, it’s about the here and now."
The Pacific Championship will begin on October 18, when Australia takes on Tonga.
