Anthony Milford, Ben Hunt in line for Kangaroos tour, coach Mal Meninga reveals
THEY are banned from State of Origin but Mal Meninga has revealed the Broncos’ dynamic halves are under close consideration for a Kangaroos tour.
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DYNAMIC Broncos halves Ben Hunt and Anthony Milford are in line for a Kangaroos tour despite being banned from State of Origin this year.
Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has told The Courier Mail that the Brisbane duo are under close consideration for his 24-man Four Nations squad to tour the UK.
Hunt and Milford can take another step towards the green and gold when they face off against Manly star Daly Cherry-Evans in Saturday’s double-header at Suncorp Stadium.
Cherry-Evans is fighting for his representative future following the emergence of Cowboys ace Michael Morgan, who has moved past him as Queensland and now Australia’s first-choice utility.
Milford, the form five-eighth of the NRL, and Hunt are ineligible to play for Queensland this year after breaking curfew during a development camp in January.
Meninga backed Queensland’s stance by not selecting any of the eight suspended players in Friday’s 16-0 win against New Zealand but confirmed they were now in the frame for a Kangaroos call-up.
“We’ll have a squad of 24 for the Four Nations. You’ll have a lot of young fellas going for that,” he said.
“The Milfords, Ben Hunts, (Dylan) Napas, (Bryce) Cartwrights, Boyd Cordner.
“We’ve got some quality people that will be part of our squad at the end of the year.”
Immortal Andrew Johns backed Milford’s bid for a national call-up, saying the Kangaroos needed to be injected with fresh blood.
“Anthony Milford is a superstar of the future and a superstar now,” Johns told the Sunday Footy Show.
Hunt played three Tests in the 2014 Four Nations but is yet to earn a Queensland debut.
Milford has been the centre of a representative fight after withdrawing from the Samoa team for last Saturday’s Pacific Test.
Milford is yet to speak publicly about the decision, however posted an old photo of himself playing for Samoa on social media with the caption: “would loved to put this jersey back on!”
If Milford continues his form for the Broncos, it would be difficult for Kangaroos selectors to leave him out of the Four Nations squad.
He would even be a possibility to play in the October Test against New Zealand in Perth.
Meninga has vowed to stick by his policy of selecting the best players available, regardless of age, but admitted that didn’t mean the incumbents would make the tour.
“We’re not sure who the best players will be,” he said.
“All those players deserved to be in the team.”
Originally published as Anthony Milford, Ben Hunt in line for Kangaroos tour, coach Mal Meninga reveals
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