League: Lockyer wants Island teams in 'Six Nations'

Darren Lockyer. Photo / Getty Images

Darren Lockyer wants Samoa and Tonga to be included in an expanded Four Nations tournament.

The record-breaking Kangaroos captain made his debut for Australia 11 years ago when the international game was at a low point.

But on the eve of his 52nd test, and 31st as skipper, Lockyer has hailed the growth of the code.

"We've gone from the Tri Nations to the Four Nations and I sort of see down the track it can be six nations with Tonga and Samoa," the 33-year-old said.

"There's also Fiji we have to consider.

"I think down the road, potentially, that's where we can head to and I think that would be great. When you look at the talent that plays in the NRL, you could easily build those nations into competitive sides against the bigger nations."

Lockyer said the tournament should be biennial: "The concept has momentum and the international league wants to keep that going," he said. "But once it's established, playing every second year with the World Cup every four years [would be ideal]."

Meanwhile bruising forward Sam Thaiday has revealed that the anguish at being dumped after playing the Kiwis during last year's Four Nations series has him fired up to cement a permanent spot in the Kangaroos forward pack.

The powerhouse Queenslander, dumped after last season's 20-20 tournament opener against the Kiwis, has vowed to deliver the same consistency that made veteran Petero Civoniceva an automatic test selection.

Thaiday later fought his way back into the side to play off the bench in the final against England and claimed man-of-the-match honours in the Anzac test in May - but the 25-year-old said he was desperate to make amends this year.

The Broncos back-rower was the form forward for most of the year, cementing himself as the stand-out for Queensland during Origin and taking his game to another level on the back of a more disciplined approach to training.

Thaiday has vowed to take more of a leadership role: "It's something I want to do over the next few years is really cement my spot in the side," he said. "I think I've done that at a club level and I've done that at Origin level. I just have to do it at an international level now."

Thaiday sees Civoniceva as the perfect role model.

"I'd like to build myself up to be a Petero Civoniceva type of player," he said. "[Someone] who is one of the first players in any side that's getting picked because he's just such a great workhorse and warhorse for any side that he plays in. I'd love to be that player."