The Wests Tigers may yet be affected during the representative period over the next six weeks if classy centre Esan Marsters gets his way and earns a debut for New Zealand.
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Marsters is hoping to break into new Kiwis coach Michael Maguire's side for the June 23 Denver Test and gets another chance to make his case on Sunday at Allianz Stadium against his old club, the Sydney Roosters.
While the Roosters are missing four stars to State Of Origin – captain Boyd Cordner, Latrell Mitchell, James Tedesco and Dylan Napa – the Tigers will be full-strength as one of only four NRL clubs not to have had players chosen for Wednesday's series opener in Melbourne.
Recently re-signed Marsters has been determined to force his way into the New Zealand team all season and would jump at the opportunity to debut in the non-traditional surrounds of Denver's Mile High Stadim.
"That's definitely one of my goals this year, to try and make that team," Marsters said.
"Hopefully if I can get a few more wins coming up, I can keep myself in the running. There's a lot of players that are going for that team, a lot of them are coming back from injury, they've got [Gerard] Beale and Jordan Kahu there.
"With the side they pick, I'm pretty sure they'll get the job done anyway. I'm just happy enough I'm playing some good football for the club; hopefully if we get a few wins all that stuff can fall into place."
The United States Test match – Maguire's first competitive hit-out since taking the reins as New Zealand head coach last month – will be played on the same weekend as the second State Of Origin match.
"It's really exciting for New Zealand rugby league, he's got a pretty good history, pretty good resume where he's from, he'll know who to choose," Marsters said.
"You see that what he did with Souths, and how he took them to the grand final was pretty massive for them. I know a few boys that have had a pre-season under him and they've really come back really fit and strong.
"From what I've heard, he's a really good coach and to have him as the New Zealand rugby league head coach is a pretty massive thing not only for us players but for the community as well."
The Tigers are desperate to take full advantage of the State Of Origin period given their dearth of representative stars and an almost clean bill of health.
A clash with high-flying Cronulla follows the Roosters game, followed by fixtures against bottom-eight sides Canberra and Gold Coast leading into the bye.
"We've copped a bit of stick in the last couple of years and we want to form our own identity as a team and I think we can do that by playing some good football as the weeks go on," Marsters said.
