KEY POINTS:
Jeremy Smith has been given the ultimate grand final incentive by new Kiwis coach Gary Kemble.
The Melbourne Storm interchange forward is being eyed up for a test debut at the ripe old age of 27 - provided he produces a big game against Manly tomorrow.
"He would have to play his way out of the selection process for that first test [against Australia in Wellington on October 14]," Kemble told Sydney's Daily Telegraph.
Smith, born and raised in Christchurch where he played junior football for the Sydenham club, shifted to Melbourne with his family when he was 13. But only in the past two years has he attracted the interest of Kiwis selectors after finally breaking into the NRL big time with the Storm in 2004.
"Definitely, when I was growing up I always wanted to play for the Kiwis," Smith said this week.
It seemed that goal had passed him by after stints on the Gold Coast, an unsuccessful year with the Northern Eagles at Manly in 2002 and time with the Storm's feeder club Brisbane Norths.
But now Smith, a scaffolder, will join a rare group of Kiwis to play in back-to-back NRL grand finals.
Fortune finally smiled on Smith a year ago when forward Michael Crocker's injury saw him get a late callup into the grand final which they lost to Brisbane.
This week Smith survived a high tackle charge from the Parramatta match.
Kemble said the 100kg, 1.84m Smith's playoff form for the Storm had him firmlyin the Kiwis' selectors sights as they name their team early next week.
"The selectors are very impressed with his aggressive nature. The little things, he does them so well. His tackle technique is really good, his ball control is good. You saw last week [against Parramatta] the sort of passion he's got."
There are four Kiwis contenders lining up tomorrow, two from each side.
Smith's teammate Jeff Lima is an outside contender while last year's test debutant Adam Blair has had an injury-troubled season and is expected to be omitted from the Storm bench.
Manly centre Steve Matai is a Kiwis regular in recent seasons while the Eagles' Wellington-born interchange forward Jack Afamasaga is the up-and-comer, with just 22 NRL games to his credit.
- NZPA
