Being Australian half Johnathan Thurston’s right hand man at the Cowboys has given Ray Thompson hope of playing for Queensland – despite being picked for Papua New Guinea.
The exciting playmaker could not hide his pride after being named in an official Kumuls side to take on an impressive Prime Minister’s XIII in Lae on September 25.
But Thompson made it abundantly clear who he wanted to play for in years to come.
“Obviously in the future I would love to play for Queensland and if it arises, Australia,” said Thompson who is eligible for selection thanks to his PNG-born mum.
“I am a bit shocked actually (about PNG selection).
“I kind of forgot about it (PM game) – I was going to enjoy a bit of rest but this is another opportunity to play another high quality game and get my name out there.”
Thompson provided a perfect foil for Thurston as the Cowboys surged back into the finals after a four-year absence.
But Thompson was the first to admit he would be joining a long queue for Origin duty even with Darren Lockyer’s imminent retirement creating a glaring Queensland vacancy.
Still, Australian Rugby League CEO Geoff Carr kept the door open for Thompson to enter into Origin calculations following PNG duty.
He told AAP that former Fijian flyer and current NSW winger Akuila Uate was a “classic example” of changing allegiances as long as it was between World Cups.
Not that Thompson wasn’t savouring his stint in PNG colours.
“It would be something that I would remember for a long time,” he said.
He has been named in a Kumuls outfit that also features Cowboys teammate, and 2011 revelation, hooker James Segeyaro.
“It is something my father did so growing up it is something I always wanted to do,” Segeyaro said on Friday.
“It will be something that I will always remember.”
A cult hero in PNG, Segeyaro admitted Cowboys teammate Matt Bowen – who has been picked in the PM’s XIII – was considered more of a “god” in his homeland.
Not that Bowen had to reminded.
“He was in the (Cowboys) gym earlier talking some smack,” Segeyaro laughed.
“But they love him more than me up there.
“They worship the ground he walks on.
“But everyone who plays in the NRL are treated like gods up there.”
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
There are few greater sledges you can give an NRL team than calling them pretenders but the Cowboys will not be contenders until they…
Who are the hardest working big men in the NRL?
Parramatta eased the pressure on coach Brad Arthur with an upset 27-20 win over the Cowboys at CommBank Stadium on Saturday night despite an…
Derbies are often rated on intensity rather than quality, and that was very much to the fore at Suncorp for the third Battle of…
1. Sea Eagles see no evil The Manly Sea Eagles are a loveable bunch, which is why they famously don’t have to carry banners…
Cowboys coach Todd Payten recently said he thinks Scott Drinkwater is knocking on the door for State of Origin but his star fullback is…
