Australia: 11 NRL clubs represented as Kangaroos announce squad for Pacific Championships; Free-scoring winger included amidst controversy

Australia have announced their squad for this autumn’s inaugural Pacific Championships, with 11 different NRL clubs represented in Mal Meninga’s 21-man pack.

Sydney Roosters full-back captains the 12-time world champions, who name a combined eight stars involved in last weekend’s Grand Final between Penrith Panthers and Brisbane Broncos.

The Panthers won the title for a third year in a row with a stunning late comeback – from 24-8 down – to triumph 26-24 and should a World Club Challenge unfold again in 2024, they’ll be involved oncemore.

Elsewhere in the Kangaroos ranks, the top try scorer at last year’s World Cup, Josh Addo-Carr is named by Meaning. The winger was involved in a vicious brawl over the weekend just gone while playing for the Sydney All Stars in a ‘Koori Knockout’ game.

Introducing the Pacific Championships

In the first-ever edition of the Pacific Championships, Australia will take on Samoa and New Zealand in the ‘group stage’. Once the three group games have been played in that three-nation group, one will then be eliminated and the top two will progress into the final.

Held at the Waikato Stadium in Hamilton on November 4, the winners of that final will lift the Pacific Cup.

Following the same format, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and the Cook Islands are competing for the Pacific Bowl.

Australia Squad for Pacific Championships

Josh Addo-Carr (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)

Patrick Carrigan (Brisbane Broncos)

Daly Cherry-Evans (Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles)

Nathan Cleary (Penrith Panthers)

Selwyn Cobbo (Brisbane Broncos)

Lindsay Collins (Sydney Roosters)

Reuben Cotter (North Queensland Cowboys)

Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (Gold Coast Titans)

Thomas Flegler (Brisbane Broncos)

Harry Grant (Melbourne Storm)

Payne Haas (Brisbane Broncos)

Valentine Holmes (North Queensland Cowboys)

Ben Hunt (St George Illawarra Dragons)

Liam Martin (Penrith Panthers)

Cameron Munster (Melbourne Storm)

Cameron Murray (South Sydney Rabbitohs)

Kotoni Staggs (Brisbane Broncos)

Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Dolphins)

James Tedesco (Sydney Roosters)

Jake Trbojevic (Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles)

Isaah Yeo (Penrith Panthers)

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