The man Blake Ferguson first looked to for advice when he made the switch from a raw Cronulla Sharks winger to Canberra Raiders centre is the reason why he's desperate to be part of the Prime Minister's XIII again.
Ferguson's bid to retain his Kangaroos jumper for the end of season Test against New Zealand and subsequent Four Nations tour means the Sydney Roosters star will shelve holiday plans to push for selection in the annual match in Papua New Guinea.
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A 20-year-old Ferguson first headed to the rugby league-mad nation six years ago under Mal Meninga and has targeted a Prime Minister's XIII jumper as his best chance of retaining another green and gold one a few weeks later.
"I met Mal for the first time in the Prime Minister's XIII and he took me under his wing," Ferguson said. "When I went to Canberra he had a bit to do with me there. We had a bit of an association for a while and he's always been there to lend an ear.
"He came down and taught me how to play [in the centres] a bit. I'd love to play [in Papua New Guinea again] and it's always a privilege. It also gives back to Papua New Guinea where [rugby league] is the national sport. I've played there twice and it's a pretty good experience.
"It's always a privilege to put [the Australian jersey] on. You don't take that for granted. It's the pinnacle of our sport."
Ferguson won his first senior Australian cap in the dour 16-0 win over New Zealand in the Anzac Test this year as one of two controversial Meninga wing choices. Parramatta flyer Semi Radradra was on the other flank after switching his allegiance from Fiji.
Despite Ferguson's Roosters propping up all teams bar wooden-spooners Newcastle on the NRL ladder, they have as many as five starters making one last selection pitch in their season-ending clash against Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night.
Ferguson, halfback Mitchell Pearce and back-rower Aidan Guerra – who was 18th man for the Anzac Test – will be eyeing Four Nations berths while Kiwi pair Shaun Kenny-Dowall and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves are in Stephen Kearney's sights.
Waerea-Hargreaves has been frozen out of the New Zealand fold for more than two years, but was part of a recent dinner attended by Sydney-based Kiwi hopefuls.
"That [New Zealand jumper] is what's driving me each week to prepare as well as I can and bring the right attitude going into each game," Waerea-Hargreaves said. "It was good to be in the mix. If I continue to bring the right attitude and prepare well fingers crossed I'll be there at the end of the year."
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