Relieved Knight Ben Cross out of sight but still in mind
BY ROBERT DILLON
BEN Cross's fears that national selectors may have forgotten about him were allayed yesterday when the Knights enforcer was named in a preliminary World Cup squad.
Cross was one of four Newcastle players selected in Australia's initial 46-man line-up, which will be reduced to 24 players by the time the tournament kicks off in October.
The other three Novocastrians chosen were former Test skipper Danny Buderus, incumbent Kangaroo Kurt Gidley and forward Steve Simpson, who is set to declare himself unavailable because his wife is expecting their second baby.
Cross has played only five games for Newcastle this year and been sidelined since tearing knee ligaments and breaking his thumb in the State of Origin series decider on July 2.
The NSW prop admitted yesterday that it was a relief to learn that he was still in contention, despite missing so much of the season with injury.
"It's just good to know that I'm in their minds," he said.
"I was a bit hesitant about the squad being named today, because I've been out for a fair while and thought I might be out of sight, out of mind.
"But hopefully what I did this year in Origin, and also what I've done in previous years, was enough to get my name thrown up there."
A late bloomer, the 29-year-old made his interstate debut this year and hopes a strong finish to the season can lift him into contention for a green-and-gold jersey.
"That's definitely been an aspiration of mine, ever since I was a little kid," he said.
"I've been front-loading all my energy this year into playing Origin, hopefully playing for Australia and helping the Knights make the finals.
"My focus really hasn't dropped off, even while I've been injured.
"To see the fruits of my labour coming through has been really encouraging."
Cross had originally earmarked Newcastle's round-24 game against the Cowboys on August 23 to launch his comeback, but now hopes to return a week earlier, against the Raiders in Canberra.
That would give him four games, plus any finals, to state his credentials for national selectors.
Buderus, meanwhile, was something of a surprise selection yesterday after Test coach Ricky Stuart said recently that he was not interested in picking players who intended join English Super League clubs next season.
Stuart said he would prefer players who were passionate about playing for their country rather than going to England to "cop the cash".
But selectors have taken a different view by including Buderus (Leeds) and Michael Crocker (Hull) in the squad, believing they should be rewarded for their service to rugby league in Australia.
They did not include Mark Gasnier, omitting the St George Illawarra captain after the announcement of his multi-million-dollar move to play French rugby union.
"[The selectors] felt that Michael Crocker and Danny Buderus weren't deserting rugby league in Australia," ARL chief executive Geoff Carr said yesterday.
"They felt they've given absolutely great service to rugby league here and . . . under those circumstances . . . they should be rewarded by being considered for this."
Buderus said yesterday that playing in his first World Cup would be a dream finale to his career in Australia.
"Something I've never done is play in a World Cup, so this is a step in the right direction for myself and the other boys," Buderus said.
"Obviously with 36 players named, there is a fair bit of culling to go yet, so you just have to put your head down and see what happens.
"It would be a great way to finish off, I guess."
The 24-Test veteran said he had not been overly concerned by suggestions that Stuart might not pick players bound for the UK.
"There was nothing I could do about that," he said.
"That was out of my control. I made my decision a long time ago, so I had to live by that.
"If that was going to happen, there was not much use complaining."
Australia World Cup campaign begins against New Zealand in Sydney on October 26.
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