Jake Friend’s selection for Australia’s Four Nations squad suggests the future for the Kangaroos

FOR 44 Tests and 39 State of Origin Games, Cameron Smith has been the Queensland and Australia No.9. But after a long wait Jake Friend ’s time has come.

JAKE Friend wondered if the day would ever come. The day when his name would be read out in the same breath as Cameron Smith’s.

It finally arrived last week when Friend was named in Mal Meninga’s 24-man Kangaroos squad for the Four Nations tour of the UK.

Smith has had a mortgage on the Queensland and Australia No. 9 jerseys for more than a decade.

The Kangaroos skipper has played a remarkable 39 State of Origin games and 44 Test matches. He has rarely been injured throughout a 334-game NRL career.

MALONEY EYES ROOS DEBUT

Friend is part of the Kangaroos’ evolution. Picture. Phil Hillyard

A production line of quality hookers have been stuck in his wake, much like Stuart MacGill during Shane Warne’s golden years. But the pendulum is about to swing.

Smith, 33, will lead the Kangaroos in Saturday’s Test match against New Zealand in Perth, but he is likely to be rested at some stage during the Four Nations. And Noosa-born Friend is waiting to pounce on his opportunity.

Friend, 26, knows Smith has earned the right to call time on his representative career when he chooses, but Meninga’s decision to draft him into the squad has given the Roosters rake a shot of confidence.

“It’s hard. You always want to hope you’re a chance but I didn’t want to get my hopes up too much,” Friend said.

“You sort of think that (you may never get a chance) but you can’t worry about it too much.

“It’s not something I can control as a player. All I can do is play my footy and hope that is enough to get in the mix and selected. Cam will be there until he wants to. I’m just happy to be here as that back-up.

“I don’t want to look too far ahead. Hopefully I can get a game on this tour and we’ll see what happens after that. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do.”

Friend has thrived as Roosters skipper. Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images.

Friend’s rise to the cusp of a Kangaroos jersey has been remarkable.

In 2009 he was sacked by the Roosters for disciplinary issues, forcing him to work in a Surry Hills sandwich shop. He joined the club again midway through 2010 and was their player of the year in 2011.

Friend shared the captaincy with Mitchell Pearce in 2015 and assumed the duty himself this year following Pearce’s Australia Day antics.

The Roosters struggled through the season to finish second-last, but Friend believes he has grown exponentially throughout the past two years.

“It was a hard year for us. We didn’t go how we wanted to,” he said. “You judge your own game on how the team goes.

“It’s been a big learning curve. The last two years have been the biggest for me. Being the captain and taking that more senior role on is something I’ve enjoyed.

“It’s been pretty challenging at times, especially this year when we weren’t going so well. Those are the times you learn the most. I’m just excited after all that to get on to a tour like this.”

Friend is unlikely to face the Kiwis in Perth, with his best chance of earning a green and gold jersey to come against Scotland on October 28. He impressed Meninga by shifting from hooker to lock in the recent Prime Minister’s 13 game in Papua New Guinea.