'Gratitude and humility': The values driving Kangaroos towards World Cup glory

It started with Jake Trbojevic picking up the rubbish from the dressing room floor and now the members of the Kangaroos squad who don’t play do whatever they can to clean up and help out their team-mates and the training staff.

In a sign of the influence a player of Trbojevic’s standing has on younger team-mates, Campbell Graham and Jeremiah Nanai spoke of their roles as Emus if not selected for this weekend’s quarter-final clash with Lebanon in Huddersfield.

“It is just a culture thing that is built into this jersey,” 23-year-old Graham said. “It is about having gratitude for the position we are all in.

“Jake Trbojevic is leading that. Last week he was going around picking up scraps and that is just the sort of bloke he is.

"It is actions like that which younger boys, like myself and Jeremiah, will follow so it is good. I just think it shows a bit of gratitude and humility.”

Nanai, who was named man-of-the-match in last weekend’s 66-6 defeat of Italy, said the players had taken it upon themselves to help out the staff and clean up their dressing rooms.

“It is just a player thing. I do it and I think everyone else does too,” Nanai said. “After the game in the sheds you take the gear back to the bus and things like that. You want to make sure everything is left clean and respect the sheds.

“That is just in our DNA.  If you don’t play you just do the other stuff to help out wherever you can. It is just little things like carrying the water bottles and giving them to the boys. That is all part of a being in a team, and we are all bonding and trying to help wherever he can.”

Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga is yet to announce his squad for the match against Lebanon but Graham and Nanai are expected to miss out, despite both performing strongly in the two matches they have each played.

The Australian team trained at Salford’s AJ Bell Stadium on Tuesday, with assistant coach Adrian Lam calling in John Asiata, Sam Stone and Jy Hitchcox from his Leigh side to provide extra numbers for an opposed session.

“Everyone has got a role to play in the preparation each week, from player one to 24, so whatever role you play that week it is your job to make sure you are doing it to the best of your ability,” Graham said.

“If you are not in the 17 this week you just have to look at where you are at, and just be grateful for that. We are over in England on a tour with the best players in world versing the best players in the world.

“It would be massive to be in that 17 but it is obviously a tough headache for Mal. I am really itching to keep playing, I have loved both games that I have played in and just having the chance to play for Australia has been unreal.

“I have come here with a bit of a point to prove. Everyone who has played in the last two games has done a great job, so it is a tough decision Mal is going to have to make.”

Nanai, the 19-year-old NRL rookie of the year, said Sydney Roosters second-rower Angus Crichton and Penrith’s Liam Martin had taken him under their wing in England.

“I have learned a lot from Mal and all of the other coaches here, and the other players like Gus and Marto,” he said.

“The boys have been good to me, we have got a good connection now and have been getting close. I think it will help in the future.

“I didn’t expect the year to be like this, making Queensland and now Australia is a dream come true. This year will one I remember forever.

"I am just blessed to be part of this Australian team. Even if I don’t play I am going to be part of the team and do my job.”