Canberra Raiders wrecking ball Joe Tapine says it's his time to step up with New Zealand reeling in the wake of Jason Taumalolo's defection to Tonga for the World Cup.
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Tapine and Raiders teammate Jordan Rapana are on a collision course with Taumalolo, with the two nations set to meet at Waikato Stadium in the later stages of the tournament.
Australia copped the same treatment from Andrew Fifita, forcing Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga to call Penrith's Reagan Campbell-Gillard into the squad.
There will be no Raiders in the Australian World Cup squad for the first time since 1995, but Josh Papalii could join Samoa when their team is named on Friday.
Papalii could join a list of international Raiders which includes former captain Terry Campese (Italy), Josh Hodgson and Elliott Whitehead (England), and Rapana and Tapine.
Rapana played for the Cook Islands at the 2013 World Cup before breaking into New Zealand's side last year, and has since played five games for the Kiwis to Tapine's two.
Tapine isn't holding the decision against Taumalolo and says star players defecting to other countries can help transform them from also-rans into serious contenders.
"I probably have to step up now. It's going to be a big tour I reckon, time for the young guys to step up in the squad," Tapine said.
"There's still a lot of experience in the team but looking at the squad there's a lot of young guys in there too. It's going to be an interesting tour I reckon.
"It's going to be a tough pool, so we'll really have to step up. Those Pacific Island teams, they're going to be strong this year.
"It's [Taumalolo's] decision. I don't really know because the only team I can play for is the Kiwis. I don't know what they're thinking.
"But it's up to him, I know Jason is a good guy and a good bloke so his decision was just about his family."
Taumalolo's decision was a massive blow for the Kiwis who are already without Jesse Bromwich, Kevin Proctor, Kieran Foran, Tohu Harris, Jordan Kahu and Ben Matulino.
New Zealand took the high road when they described Taumalolo's defection as a boon for international football, leading Kiwis coach David Kidwell to declare Tonga a real contender.
"I think everyone's mindset is that they're going to be thinking they're [Tonga] genuine contenders for the World Cup - we definitely think (they) are, major contenders," Kidwell said on Thursday.
Kidwell said the Kiwis were looking for a big wave of support for the "new Kiwi spirit".
"The key is the 'we'. That is what a true team is, that is what a family is. We need our country to get behind us and believe we are going to get to the top of the world," Kidwell said.
Regular hooker Issac Luke was overlooked, opening the door for Tapine's Junior Kiwis teammate Danny Levi to make his Test debut.
Hodgson and Whitehead are near certain starters for England, while former Raiders captain Campese will play for Italy.
Junior Paulo and Joey Leilua are set to play for Samoa and could be joined by Papalii after he was overlooked in Australian coach Mal Meninga's Kangaroos squad.
Papalii has played eight Tests for Australia but his parents are Samoan and he was keen to represent family heritage at the World Cup in 2013 before being scooped up by the Kangaroos.
INTERNATIONAL RAIDERS
England: Josh Hodgson and Elliott Whitehead (yet to be named)
New Zealand: Jordan Rapana and Joseph Tapine
Papua New Guinea: Kurt Baptiste and Kato Ottio
Samoa: Joey Leilua, Junior Paulo, Josh Papalii (yet to be named)
Fiji: Masivesi Dakuwaqa (yet to be named)
Italy: Terry Campese
