Kangaroos back-rower Trent Merrin has welcomed coach Wayne Bennett's move to select "real" countrymen in England Four Nations squad.
There was plenty of speculation "Aussie Poms" such as Brett and Josh Morris and Trent Hodkinson, would be drafted into Bennett's squad under the international eligibility grandparents clause.
But Bennett selected no such players in his England squad announced on Monday.
"I reckon it is great," Merrin said on Tuesday.
"I know that I hold my Australian jersey close to my heart. I am born and bred here and it means everything to me.
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"It will be the same to those players as well. You can tell with the passion they play with. It is good for the game.
"It is good for international rugby league."
The Australians are in Perth preparing for Saturday's Test against New Zealand at nib Stadium. They will travel to the Four Nations in Britain on Thursday week.
Merrin is expected to return to the Australian side after playing one Test in 2015, when coach Mal Meninga names his side later this week.
The star Penrith back-rower said allowing smaller league nations to feature Australian players such as Peter Wallace would help grow rugby league in the lesser nations.
But he maintained that Bennett had helped to preserve the integrity of international rugby league among its major nations by picking English players.
