KEY POINTS:
As teams drop out of the NRL and Super League competitions the Kiwis selectors will be advising possible test candidates not to stop working.
The season ends for eight NRL sides this weekend and two more will be eliminated in knockout games over each of the next three weekends leading to the grand final.
Among those sure to be told to train are the Panthers' Tony Puletua and Frank Pritchard and Jake Webster from the Titans, all former Kiwis.
New Kiwis coach Gary Kemble and his assistants are pleased with the form of prospective internationals in the NRL and confident of building a solid squad.
Kemble flies to Sydney this weekend to meet senior players and those on the fringes of selection and to watch games.
"It's great to have so many candidates in the finals series. There are a lot of youngsters coming up," Kemble said. "We're excited."
He wanted to meet the players who had been involved for the last two or three years and make sure they got information about what to expect in the run-up to the test against Australia in Wellington on October 14 and the following tour to England.
They have some top-form players to call on who are certainties - regulars in the captain Roy Asotasi, Bulldogs secondrower Sonny Bill Williams and the Panthers' Frank Pritchard, Tigers five-eighths Benji Marshall, Warriors centre Simon Mannering, Eels prop Nathan Cayless plus their wing/fullback Krisnan Inu who debuted in the Anzac game and has gone on to make a big mark for the Eels.
It's a squad that may contain a few new faces, perhaps not for the one-off test against Australia in Wellington on October 14 but certainly for the longer tour to England. Several newcomers to the Australian premiership will have attracted attention.
Among those whose season is over after this weekend, but who might be in the selectors' frame for the tour to England, are consistent Roosters wing/fullback Sam Perrett and Dragons half Rangi Chase, while Sharks wing Luke Covell offers a great goal-kicking rate.
That might not be enough to get Covell in ahead of others in final selection but he's likely to be held in injury cover.
Those in higher-ranked teams who seem likely to join the train-on numbers include hard-to-stop Tigers wing Taniela Tuiaki, Souths half Jeremy Smith and hooker Isaac Luke.
The first batch of possibles will be advised by the NZRL next week after the selectors meet following the 25th and last round of matches in the NRL this weekend. The Kiwis will be named after the NRL grand final on September 30 and assemble in Auckland the following week.
Unavailable due to injury are the Kiwis regular and Roosters centre Iosaia Soliola and their bench player Setaimata Sa who was a chance to debut. The Broncos utility Greg Eastwood comes back this weekend and is a good chance.
