Kangaroos squad: Darius Boyd beats Greg Inglis to fullback, Michael Morgan to debut

ONE North Queensland star has been rewarded for his red-hot form with a maiden green and gold jumper. Find out who else made the team.

NRL Rd 7 - Cowboys v Rabbitohs

DARIUS Boyd has taken Greg Inglis’s fullback spot for Australia and Michael Morgan will debut for the Kangaroos in Mal Meninga’s first national team.

The Courier-Mail can reveal Boyd will be unveiled as the premier fullback in the country when ARL Commission chairman John Grant announces the Roos team on Tuesday.

Meninga’s team will include at least eight changes to Tim Sheens’ outfit in last year’s Test.

Boyd’s promotion comes after Inglis’s patchy form at fullback for South Sydney.

Meninga’s team for the Test against New Zealand on Friday week (May 6) will see:

● Morgan rewarded for his red-hot form at the Cowboys with his maiden green and gold jumper as Australia’s bench utility;

● Inglis to be shifted to left centre to accommodate Boyd, who last played for Australia in the 2014 trans-Tasman Test;

● Eels hulk Semi Radradra to clinch a wing berth over Broncos sensation Corey Oates, just three weeks after renouncing his ties to Fiji; and

Semi Radradra has been picked ahead of Corey Oates on the wing.

● Cowboys back-rower Gavin Cooper likely to be included in an extended squad as a shadow player in the event of injury.

Boyd will also be Queensland’s fullback next month.

In a sign of their club dominance, the Broncos and Cowboys are tipped to supply at least eight players to the 17-man Kangaroos.

Johnathan Thurston, James Tamou, Matt Scott and Morgan are the Cowboys contingent, while Broncos trio Corey Parker, Sam Thaiday and Matt Gillett are likely to join Boyd.

Josh McGuire looms as the unlucky player to miss out.

Meninga delivered nine titles to Queensland in 10 years and is determined to bring more prestige to the Australian team, urging the NRL to raise the profile of Test football.

“I keep hearing everyone say I’d love to play for Queensland or NSW, but what about Australia?” Meninga said.

“Everyone seems to have forgotten about the Test match prior to the Origin series. It’s a bit frustrating because I care greatly about the state of international football.

“There’s a fair bit of work for me to do in that regards.

“To be honest, the Australian team needs profile because the game doesn’t even talk about it too much. That’s one of my challenges unfortunately but I’m determined to raise the bar.

Michael Morgan looks set to make his debut for the Kangaroos.

“Origin has become a huge beast but I never saw it as the be-all and end-all.

“I always thought the green and gold jersey is a coveted position to hold because it means you are the best player in your position.”

POSSIBLE KANGAROOS TEAM: Darius Boyd, Semi Radradra, Greg Inglis, Josh Dugan, Blake Ferguson, Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk, Matt Scott, Cameron Smith (c), James Tamou, Matt Gillett, Sam Thaiday, Corey Parker. Bench: Michael Morgan, Josh Papalii, David Klemmer, Paul Gallen. Shadow player: Gavin Cooper.