Surprise Kangaroos selection Terry Campese said life just keeps getting better after his inclusion yesterday in the Australian World Cup squad capped a year to remember both on and off the footy field.
Campese joined Raiders teammate Joel Monaghan in the 24-man Kangaroos squad for this month's World Cup despite being left out of the original Australian squad.
"I was shocked to be picked in the Prime Minister's XIII a few weeks ago, so to be picked in the World Cup squad is a great honour and a shock too," Campese said.
The Queanbeyan Blues junior said his decision to re-sign with the Raiders, along with his proposal to fiance Sarah, had helped turn his football around.
"If you asked me at the start of the year if I was going to achieve this I would probably laugh at it."
But getting married and playing so well for the Raiders with the team making finals this is just a dream come true for me.
"Being happy in life in general, definitely makes you play good football, I'm pretty stoked."
Campese and Monaghan could be the first Raiders to debut for Australia in eight years.
Jason Croker in 2000 was the last Raider to debut for Australia, while the pair's selection was the first time since 1994 the club has had more than one player in the Australian squad.
Campese's form reversal this season has been the key to his selection. After he re-signed, the Raiders won eight of its last 12 matches, and Campese's ability to set up tries was crucial to the success.
His performance was recognised in the Dally M Player of the Year, polling in six of the last eight matches, including four best-on-ground. He said he would need to be at his best to help Australia make the final.
"We are in the toughest group it's going to be a tough campaign and it will be good to get a run, but I am confident of a strong showing by the team," Campese said.
Australia's squad has a significant Canberra flavour this year, with Campese joined by fellow Raiders' juniors Joel Monaghan, Brent Kite and coach Ricky Stuart.
For Kite, it tops off a big week after winning the Premiership with Manly and being named the Clive Churchill medallist for best-on-ground.
Monaghan, who this year returned to the Raiders from the Roosters, has enjoyed his best NRL season. He made his representative debut for Country in May before playing in the third State of Origin match.
"I just wanted to get back home and play some good footy, and fortunately I was doing that and so was the team," Monaghan said.
Monaghan and Campese last month played in Papua New Guinea for the Prime Minister's XIII, and Monaghan said the match helped him to remain match fit.
"It's going to be a pretty long campaign. I think the first game is in about two weeks and the final, hopefully we make it, is at the end of November so it just adds a bit to our year but I'm very excited," he said.
Monaghan said he had received a phone call from his brother Michael, who is celebrating with the Manly players after their grand final win.
"He rang me and congratulated me so he's pretty pumped as well. He's played in a grand final, and now I've got this, so I guess it's kind of even, but he missed out on this one which is okay with me," he said.
Raiders CEO Don Furner said it was just reward for the two players, and proved the Raiders could develop quality players.
"It's great for the club and for those two players," Furner said. "It's the recognition they deserve, and the fact that both of them are from here, Joel in Tuggeranong and Campo from Queanbeyan, it reinforces to us that we can develop our own talent."
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