Centre set to cap off his meteoric rise from Warriors' discard to international call-up.
Krisnan Inu's remarkable comeback story won't finish after Sunday's grand final appearance for the Bulldogs - with the enigmatic centre set to be named in the Kiwis side for the one-off test against the Kangaroos next month.
Sources confirm that Inu will be selected at centre should he emerge from the NRL decider injury free.
His return to the Kiwis will cap a remarkable season that has seen the 25-year-old Auckland-born utility back go from unwanted discard at the Warriors to a third grand final in four years - with three different clubs.
Inu's call-up explains the omission of Manly veteran Steve Matai from the train-on squad.
Inu played the last of his four tests against Papua New Guinea at the 2008 world cup. Having debuted under Brian McClennan in 2007 with just one NRL appearance to his name, he has been largely out of favour in the Stephen Kearney era. In 2009, he toured with the Kiwis but was overlooked for the crucial final test against England after Matai was ruled out with injury. Kearney instead opted to play a then teenage Kieran Foran out of position in a match the Kiwis lost 20-1, a result that cost them a place in the Four Nations final.
Last year, Inu again appeared to be at odds with Kearney. Called in as a late injury replacement, he withdrew from the tour to England citing unspecified personal reasons. The nature of those reasons was never confirmed, leaving the suspicion that Inu had preferred to remain at home. Much of the Kiwis side will pick itself but there will likely be a debut for Storm forward Kevin Proctor. The 23-year-old from Te Kuiti toured with the squad last year but didn't make it on to the field.