Canberra Raiders centre Joel Monaghan believes Friday night's City versus Country fixture will be the start of a long and successful representative career for teammate Todd Carney.
Country selectors yesterday named Carney at five-eighth and Monaghan on a wing for the traditional NSW State of Origin trial.
The Canberra Times revealed on Friday the pair would be selected.They joined their Country teammates in Sydney last night and will travel to Wollongong today ahead of the WIN Stadium clash.
Monaghan admitted it would be tough to force his way into the NSW team, regardless of how well he played on Friday.
But he said Carney was now a real chance of snaring the contentious halfback role for the Blues."I don't want to look too far ahead, I'm just going to go out and enjoy this game," Monaghan said. "There's a lot of great players that are going to be in the mix for State of Origin.
"It's great to have a teammate in Toddy playing as well. He's got a big future ahead of him and he's a class player and I'm just glad that I'll get to play with him in his first representativ egame. I'm sure there'll be plenty more for him in the future."
For Monaghan this game represents an opportunity to erase the memory of 2004, when a calf injury robbed him of his only other chance to play for Country. He made his representative debut last year when he played for the Prime Minister's XIII against Papua New Guinea.
"That [calf injury] was a few years ago now and I don't think I've even had a look in since then so for the selectors to bring me in is fantastic.
"It's going to be a hectic week but it's great, this is what you play football for to play in these sorts of games.
"I had the time of my life on that PNG trip and I reckon this is going to be very similar.
"It definitely made me hungry for more rep footy and it's great to be in this team."
Carney and Monaghan will spend the rest of the week in camp with the Country team and will not re-join their Raiders teammates until Saturday.
The Raiders play the New Zealand Warriors in Auckland on Sunday afternoon, meaning the team will have a disrupted leadup without two of its key players.
While Monaghan and Carney's selections give the Raiders a presence on this year's representative scene, Canberra captain Alan Tongue was again unlucky to miss out.
Sydney Roosters captain Craig Fitzgibbon will play lock for Country for the second year running, again keeping Tongue out after he served as 18th man last year.
Monaghan's former Roosters teammates Brett Finch and Craig Fitzgibbon are also in the Country outfit.
Carney's challenge now is to outplay Finch and City pair Mitchell Pearce and Peter Wallace to give himself the best chance of claiming the NSW halfback spot.
Pearce will start at halfback for City, alongside his Roosters teammate Braith Anasta.
Wallace has been named on the bench following an outstanding start to the season for the Broncos.
Country hooker Danny Buderus now seemingly has the NSW No.9 jersey wrapped up after Wests Tigers rake Robbie Farah was ruled out of the City team with back problems.
Jamie Lyon and Matt Cooper will play in the centres for Country, while Manly's Brett Stewart will start at fullback after missing Australian selection yesterday.
Stewart's brother Glen will make his debut for Country off the bench, along with Tigers forward Chris Heighington and Cronulla fullback Brett Kearney.
