Canberra Raiders star Jarrod Croker expected a brutal initiation to representative football on Sunday, but said two weeks ago he was more focused on moving house than playing for Australia.
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Croker has been called into the Prime Minister's XIII team to play Papua New Guinea, ending his stint in representative limbo following his outstanding form for the Green Machine.
The late call-up as Jack Wighton's replacement will end a seven-year hiatus from the representative arena.
But the NRL's third-highest point scorer of the season and the Mal Meninga medallist says he "feels a part of the team" despite being initially overlooked, and vows to make the most of his opportunity.
"I'm grateful for the chance and I wasn't really waiting for the call-up at all, to be honest," Croker said.
"I've been busy moving house so [waiting on a selection call] hasn't been too bad mentally. If anything, moving house has been stressful, so footy is a break.
"You don't go into the game thinking about [Kangaroos] selection, but there is a chance there and I'm just going out to enjoy it."
Croker is already the third highest points scorer in Raiders history, sitting behind former coach David Furner and Clinton Schifcofske, but he hasn't been picked in a representative team since the NSW under-18 and Australian Schoolboys in 2007.
Back then he played alongside Kieran Foran and Jake Friend in the Australian junior side.
But the 24-year-old has been stuck on the representative fringes, called into NSW State of Origin camp for game three this year but overlooked for the NSW Country Origin side.
The decision to leave him out of the PM's XIII side baffled many, given Croker's superb form in a horror year for the Raiders.
But a knee injury to Wighton has given Croker the chance that appeared out of his reach this year.
"Junior Kangaroos or under-18s was the last time for me in a rep jersey, that's a fair wait," Croker said.
"I don't think anyone has ruled out getting a spot in the Four Nations squad. But I just want to enjoy my first rep game and then I'll go from there."
Croker has been warned to prepare for an intense debut in front of fanatical PNG supporters at Kokopo.
The players were mobbed by supporters when they arrived on Friday.
Two years ago an estimated 25,000 fans packed into a ground with a capacity of 15,000 and gunfire was heard outside the stadium as police struggled to control 7000 fans who missed out on tickets.
"I've heard that it's intense, I spoke to [David Shillington and Josh Papalii] and they reckon it can get crazy," Croker said.
"I'm looking forward to it, I'm glad I've got the opportunity. You don't want to go throwing gear into the crowd because it can get pretty wild. I don't know what to expect but it will be exciting."
