Kangaroos veteran Sam Thaiday admits he fears for his place in Mal Meninga's squad for the second Four Nations clash against New Zealand.
The 31-year-old, who's been a staple of the Australia side since 2009, has featured off the bench in all three of Meninga's games in charge.
But with the emergence of exciting back-rowers Tyson Frizell and Jake Trbojevic - both try-scorers in the win over Scotland on Friday - in addition to Trent Merrin and Boyd Cordner, he concedes his place in the side is far from guaranteed.
"Being older, I am feeling pressure more," Thaiday said.
"We have these young, fresh-faced kids coming through and no-one's position in the team is secure unless you're Cameron Smith.
"But it's a great problem to have. There is always banter among the players about who's playing ... and I am sure that will continue over the week leading to the New Zealand game."
Thaiday also welcomed Mal Meninga's attempts to stir the pot ahead of the clash against England on November 12 with a sensational attack on Wayne Bennett in his Courier Mail newspaper column on Friday.
"That was good, it stirs things up ahead of the game in a couple of weeks' time," he said.
"It'll be quite funny to see what the talk is between the two. Hopefully they can send him back with his tail between his legs.
"Maybe he'll escape out of the back door again," Thaiday added in a reference to Bennett taking the rear exit at Brisbane airport after coaching the first Australian side to lose a series in 28 years at the 2005 Tri-Nations.
