Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga anoints James Maloney as leading candidate to replace Thurston

JAMES Maloney is in the box seat to replace Johnathan Thurston in the Australian team, according to the one person that matters.

James Maloney is in line to replace Johnathan Thurston in the Anzac Test in Canberra

HE has led defending premiers Cronulla back to the upper end of the NRL ladder, now James Maloney is in line to earn an Australian starting position.

That’s the message from Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga, who has anointed Maloney a leading candidate to replace an injured Johnathan Thurston in the Anzac Test.

Thurston could be sidelined for up to a month after suffering a calf injury in North Queensland’s shock loss to the Wests Tigers.

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James Maloney is in line to replace Johnathan Thurston in the Anzac Test in Canberra

While Meninga remains hopeful the champion Cowboy isn’t out for an extended period of time, he knows he has to be realistic.

He nominated Maloney and North Queensland No. 6 Michael Morgan as the two most likely options to fill in if Thurston is ruled out of the May 5 Test against New Zealand in Canberra.

“They are the two that we took away on the tour, so they come straight into calculations,” Meninga told The Daily Telegraph.

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“Jimmy’s (form) has been great and he played alongside Cooper in the Scotland game in the Four Nations and he sat on the bench for the New Zealand game and he got on in the second half.

“So he is very capable and it gives us an opportunity to look beyond this year when we look at the Kangaroos.

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James Maloney looked at home in the side during Australia’s Four Nations campaign in England

“I’m hoping Johnathan will be okay.

“I’m pretty positive about it — that’s me and that’s who I am.

“If Johnathan has a chance of playing, that would be great.

“But if he isn’t, then I see it as a positive for us moving forward.

“Obviously we’d want Johnathan to play, but it’s also a great opportunity for me to have a look at who is next.”

Meanwhile, Meninga said the representative future of Penrith skipper Matt Moylan wouldn’t be marred after he was dropped to the NSW Cup for breaking club protocol.

Meninga has made a strong stance on the behaviour required to represent Australia, as shown through his Four Nations subbing of Cronulla prop Andrew Fifita.

In Moylan’s case, though, he believes the playmaker has already copped his punishment from Penrith.

Meninga said Matt Moylan’s club indiscretions won’t impact his chances of a call up

“It’s an internal matter,” he said.

“I mean, Matty being a leader of the club Anthony Griffin made a pretty strong stance internally after he broke curfew.

“But it’s not a hanging offence is it?

“We talk about behaviour and I think he has paid his dues with what the Penrith Panthers did, so I don’t think it would affect his representative opportunities.”