'I'd be proactive': McDermott eyes Origin stars for England

England can select current State of Origin players for the first time in this year’s World Cup and their new coach plans to take full advantage.

Brian McDermott - the winner of eight trophies with Leeds and now assistant at Gold Coast - evoked boxer Tyson Fury, welcomed Super League Man of Steel Jake Connor back to the fold and showed he’d lost none of his fire and combativeness when he was introduced to the media on Thursday.

Under updated eligibility rules, players who represent Tier One nations (Australia, England and New Zealand) - and who meet the traditional State of Origin criteria - are now eligible to play for NSW or Queensland.

The change means that Australian-born England internationals Victor Radley and AJ Brimson can now play Origin.

Sharks hooker Blayke Brailey, brother Jayden (who is at the Raiders), Roosters centre Billy Smith, Bulldogs prop Max King and Broncos forward Ben Talty are among the NRL players who can now put their hands up for England without risking their Origin prospects. 

Asked if he was planning to pick more players born outside England, McDermott responded: “I am”. 

“It’s not for us to debate whether we’re happy or not - international rules suggest they can play for their country,” he said 

“Who are we to say to Ben Talty - I don’t know his heritage, maybe it’s his grandmother who’s English - from a moral point ‘you shouldn’t really be playing for England’?

“He might want to fight for his heritage. He might be extremely proud of his heritage. He may love the ground his grandmother walks on and think ‘that’s who I want to represent’.

“Who are we to say that’s not the right thing? “It’s not Super League against the NRL. Just because Ben Talty hasn’t played in Super League … it’s England as a nation.

“Blayke Brailey and Jayden Brailey’s mother is English and if they decide they want to represent their nation, it’s their nation as much as it’s ours. It’s not for anybody else to make a judgement on that.

“If the rules internationally suggest they can play, they can play legally.”

McDermott said he’d have no hesitation in playing recruiter for eligible players, saying “I’d be proactive”.

"The RFL would first check the player’s qualifications, then it would ask for permission from his club for him to be approached and finally “I would ring them - for sure."

The former Royal Marine was reluctant to speak in detail about his own feelings - “I don’t want to spend the whole interview telling you how proud I am and what it means to me” - but extremely forthcoming about his philosophies for how England can win a tournament or series involving Australia for the first time since 1972.

He was also unequivocal on Leeds’ Connor, who did not figure in the Ashes last year despite being named the best player in Super League.

Asked if the utility back was in his plans, he said: “Yeah he is, absolutely,

“I think the rhetoric and the narrative around Jake was tremendously unfair. I understand where Jake Connor comes from in that he’s liked by some and disliked by others, OK?

“That comes with the nature of the game. We could sit round a table and debate whether he’s a nice person or not. I just don’t think that’s a fair narrative to be made public.

“What nobody can argue is that he’s a tremendous player. He’s a fantastic player. He’s a game breaker.”

On his coaching philosophy for England, McDermott said: “(You) certainly can’t copy what the other nations are doing.

“It won’t look the same and it can’t look the same if we intend to go deep into the tournament.

“Tyson Fury beat Wladimir Klitschko in 2015 and Tyson Fury admitted - and he was unapologetic in his admission - that he didn’t have as strong a right hand as Wladimir Klitschko had. So he openly admitted he wasn’t going to stand in front of Wladimir and trade punches. He had to do something different.

“And he employed a game plan, Tyson Fury, which Wladimir wasn’t used to - and got the job done. So take out of that what you will.

“I don’t think England should copy and paste the way (other countries) are playing.

“If you’re gonna stand in front of Wladimir Klitschko and lie to yourself that your right hand is as strong as his right hand … we can absolutely win but we have to do some things differently.

“What I’ve got in my head, I think it’s going to work - and it makes me get out of bed really early.”

While this may suggest a more flamboyant “traditional English” style, McDermott said bluntly: “You can’t play expansive football at international level.”