That's why it means so much to the ACT Brumbies coach to see Palu force her way into the Wallaroos squad alongside Grace Kemp, Michaela Leonard, Lillyann Mason-Spice and Jemima McCalman for a pair of Test matches next month.

They are among 10 Brumbies Super W players in line for representative duties with Talei Qalo Wilson and Iris Verabalavu in the Fijiana squad, Mana Furuta and Makoto Lavemai joining Japan, and Tania Naden in the sights of Barbarians selectors.

Wallaroos coach Jay Tregonning's 32-woman squad includes 22 uncapped players and will assemble on the Gold Coast on Saturday.

The Wallaroos face Fijiana in Brisbane on May 6, before backing up against Japan on the Gold Coast on May 10.

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"Honestly, when she told me I shed a tear for her. Because she was at Erindale, I've gone from not knowing this girl to seeing her every single day," Hawke said.

"I see her all day at work and then go three hours of training with her, three times a week. Her last nine months, I've been on that journey with her. To see her get rewarded in that Wallaroos squad is quite special. She said she was really emotional when she got told as well, so super proud of her.

"Pesi is abrasive, has worked extremely hard over the past nine months, she has worked tirelessly on her game. Once she got that sniff of being a Wallaroo [player of national interest] last year, there was a complete change in her behaviour.

"I just remember her being like 'I like playing footy' and never doing much about it. As soon as she made that PONI squad, she just went all in.

"She was doing catch-pass drills with the three classes she helps at Erindale, she'd put herself in the drills with the boys and the girls to top up her catch-pass. She started going to the gym regularly and started taking her nutrition seriously. She turned a massive corner once she made that PONI squad."

The Australian squad soon heads to New Zealand for the Pacific Four Series in June, facing the Black Ferns, United States and Canada in a 13-day stretch.

The Wallaroos will adopt the gold jersey worn by the Wallabies and Australian sevens teams ahead of their first Test match in almost three years.

COVID-19 has robbed the Wallaroos of a Test match since August 2019, with the looming games in Queensland to provide an overdue litmus test ahead of the World Cup in New Zealand in October.

"It's great to have that many girls in the Wallaroos. I knew Mac and J-Mac were specials, but the other three, it's great to have them in there as well," Hawke said.

"The things [Leonard] learnt in New Zealand was probably the off-field stuff. The New Zealand teams have a strong connection with their land and a strong connection to other players. I'm sure she can use that in her leadership. That was her biggest learning from overseas, how they engage with their culture but also how they engage with each other.

"Kempy has been the best ball-carrier in the Super W competition, she's got a real point of difference there. J-Mac has been consistent throughout the Super W competition, she's an aggressive ball runner and has really good defensive reads.

"Maso is just a natural footy player, X-factor, an untapped resource in terms of she's still quite raw but she is one of the most damaging ball carriers in the Australian competition.

"That was Talei's goal this year, to make that Fijian squad. It's great to see her get that opportunity. She's already up on the Gold Coast with the team."

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