PRENTICE: Four Nations will prove to be a winner on the field

Someone told me there’s a Four Nations rugby league Test series starting this weekend. Fair dinkum?

I know many Roarers think I’m bordering on prehistoric, but last time I looked, I wasn’t dwelling in a cave.

Four Nations – Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain and Samoa. And they are all here and preparing to play in a major event that will ice the 2014 league season Down Under. I’d like to see that.

Quite possibly this is staggering news if you have been following the sports media for the past week or so.

By and large, all we have heard about league is that Jarryd Hayne is to try his hand in the NFL – even though he has no promise of a contract. Or even a serious trial.

The St George-Illawarra Dragons are about to prune the tripe out of their ranks because of ‘salary cap pressure.’ Five clubs were stung to varying degrees for salary cap breaches. And, the great Peter Sterling thinks Parra can’t win the comp with Chris Sandow at No. 7.

International rugby league? Here, in this country? Count me in!

It’s incredible, really, how my favourite code can generate news at so many levels and with so many tangents.

We have heard news of many NRL developments, but barely a jot about the game at its international level.

This is October and there have been plenty of sports vying for our undivided attention.

Sure, the A-League football has had some big early season attendances. Bully for them.

I keep reading comparisons to NRL crowds which doesn’t sit easily with me. Their season is brand new, the early excitement is to be expected after a World Cup – but this is spring. The weather is pretty good and I say if the football/soccer code wasn’t getting big numbers, they’d be reaching for the proverbial bag of buts.

We have also been treated to a fabulous rugby union soap opera starring Kurtley Beale, Di Patston, Ewen McKenzie and a host of current and former Wallabies pushing their leather-patched barrows for reasons known mainly to themselves.

(And we thought that league’s administration left a lot to be desired).

And there has also been top-class horse-racing and motor sports events. Must mention the brilliance of the Australian Diamonds in netball, success in surfing, golf – and yep, the cricket season is underway.

We also heard tennis’ Williams sisters referred to as the Williams brothers. Well, that’s a sin bin offence if ever I heard one. Best of luck to the Russian tennis president and I’ll slip your private number to ‘Messrs’ Venus and Serena.

Rugby league Four Nations? We have heard very little. The tournament has so much to offer, yet only a few yarns or mentions seeing daylight in the press, electronic or social media.

Hang on a minute, stop the press! The Hayne Plane has successfully survived a plane trip to LA. And what’s more, he doesn’t wanna talk about his so-called ‘lifetime’ contract with Parra. He has gotta learn the NFL play-book. Geez, gimme a break.

Tim Sheens bobbed up on my TV screen. Hey, I remember you! Australia’s World Cup winning coach going for 16 or 17 successive wins. Why would they be interviewing you?

‘Shifty’ Sheens tells us he is excited about the prospect of watching five debutants cut their teeth in Saturday night’s duel with the Kiwis at Suncorp Stadium. I am too.

Of course, Roarers, I’m fully aware of what we will be licking our lips over this weekend. The game will be a fascinating and exciting event that will steal your attention and imprison it until the Four Nations champs are declared.

There were many first choice Kangaroos unavailable for the series, but that doesn’t worry me in the slightest. I love watching young players cutting their teeth on the big stage and we have got plenty in this Australian team to spotlight.

Dylan Walker, Aaron Woods, Daniel Tupou, Josh Mansour and Aiden Guerra will be wearing the green and gold for the first time and I am excited to see what they can offer against a talented and pretty much seasoned Kiwi team.

These youngsters have earned their crack at the big time and the enthusiasm they will undoubtedly bring to the pitch will spur the likes of Cam Smith, Greg Inglis, Cooper Cronk, Ryan Hoffman, Greg Bird and Beau Scott to greater effort.

Many feel this Australian team is weak, vulnerable to an upset or two, but not me. These reinforcements – plucked ripe from Generation Next – are right up to standard and will not disappoint.

What has been disappointing, I feel, is the promotion for this series from the Australian Rugby League. I have heard zero about it, and someone is getting paid to do the PR thing I’m sure.

The reason most of us know the Four Nations series is happening is by default. But that is set to change with international league kicking off this weekend.

Go you rookie Roos!