NEWCASTLE Knights star Kurt Gidley only needed to talk to outgoing teammate Danny Buderus to realise what an amazing opportunity playing in the rugby league World Cup will be.
Gidley was the sole Knight picked in the 24-man squad announced yesterday.
Buderus played 24 Tests for Australia between 2001 and 2006, but never featured in a World Cup because the last one was held in 2000.
"I was only talking to Bedsy [Buderus] the other day, that it was one thing Bedsy hasn't played in is a World Cup," Gidley said yesterday.
"I know he would have loved to. So it's a big occasion and something to be proud of. I'm looking forward to it."
What will also make the World Cup even more special is the fact it will celebrate 100 years of rugby league in Australia and will be the first time the event has been hosted solely by the world champions since 1977.
Prop Ben Cross was Newcastle's only other member in the Kangaroos preliminary squad, but was omitted from the final 24.
National selectors Les Geeves, Bob McCarthy, Des Morris and Bob Fulton instead decided to go with Penrith's Petero Civoniceva, the Warriors' Steve Price and Manly's premiership-winning duo Brent Kite and Josh Perry.
The last World Cup in 2000 also featured a Gidley, with Kurt's older brother Matt playing in all six matches, including the Kangaroos' 40-12 victory over New Zealand in the final at Old Trafford.
Matt played his entire campaign in the centres, but for Kurt, his role is less clear. The 2008 season was boon year for the former Newcastle West junior where he revolutionised the utility role playing fullback in defence and hooker in attack for the Knights in several games.
His ability to play fullback, hooker, halfback and five-eighth has probably been his greatest asset and biggest hindrance for representative selection.
Gidley made his debut in the green and gold last October in the Kangaroos' 58-0 thumping of the Kiwis in Wellington where he came off the bench.
He received only 18 minutes of game time in his second and last appearance for the Kangaroos in the Centenary Test against New Zealand in May.
Gidley said he expects a similar interchange role in the World Cup and is keen to add to his limited opportunities.
"I'll probably be a utility.That's where I played my other two Tests in the last 12 months, so I'd say a bit of hooker and in the backs if someone gets injured through the games," Gidley said.
"Hopefully we can go all the way to that last game which is in Brisbane [on November 22]. There are three games before that and then a semi, so it would be nice to play in as many as possible."
Competition will be fierce for Gidley during the campaign with Manly's Brett Stewart and Melbourne's Billy Slater likely to battle for the fullback role.
Storm and Australian captain Cameron Smith is the only hooker selected in the squad, so Gidley looks most likely to fill in at dummy half off the bench.
Playing in a World Cup may have been the only page missing from Buderus's illustrious career scrap book, but Gidley said there is still plenty for him to achieve.
"I only had my first starting game in Origin this year, so I think I've still got a long way to go but this is a good one to tick off," he said.
Email a friend
Favourites
Del.icio.us
Facebook
Digg
StumbleUpon
MySpace
Reddit
Newsvine
LinkedIn
Kwoff