Canberra Raiders back-rower Josh Papalii will have the perfect opportunity to pay tribute to his late grandfather after being picked to play for Samoa at the World Cup.
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Papalii's rollercoaster NRL off-season took another twist when he was named alongside Raiders duo Junior Paulo and Joey Leilua in the Samoan squad on Friday.
Samoa coach Matt Parish backed the wrecking-ball forward to be the country's last-minute trump card in what looms as the pool of death at the tournament, which starts at the end of October.
Papalii will swap Australia's $30,000 match payments for Samoa's $30 per week allowance after he was overlooked by Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga earlier this week.
The deal was sealed by a chance for Papalii, the son of Samoan parents, to pay homage to his family roots just weeks after his grandfather died.
But it also sets the stage for a showdown with Jason Taumalolo and Andrew Fifita after the duo turned their backs on New Zealand and Australia, respectively, this week to join Tonga's squad.
Parish applauded Taumalolo and Fifita for having the guts to walk away from lucrative match payments to ignite the World Cup.
"It's going to be a pretty tight group, but it's exciting to be a part of," Parish said.
"It's a lot of money to walk away from and I think those guys [Taumalolo and Fifita] should be applauded for taking that stand.
"It shows how much it means to these guys to play for the Pacific Nations of heritage. It's not just about money, we give our guys $30 a day. They're not doing it for money.
"It would be really interesting to see if all the nations got paid the same, who would choose what.
"Josh [Papalii] is going to be a great addition to our side. His size, skill and leadership is a massive boost for the entire squad. It's exciting."
Papalii withdrew from the Prime Minister's XIII match two weeks ago to be with family after the death of his grandfather.
Meninga left him out of the Australian squad citing his fitness. But he is eligible to join Samoa under international rugby league rules allowing players to join tier-two nations.
Papalii, 25, had hoped to play for Samoa at the World Cup four years ago, but he forced his way into the Australian side.
He will finally get the chance to play for Samoa in pool matches against Tonga, New Zealand and Scotland.
The Queensland State of Origin forward was one of Canberra's best this season, but Parish has high hopes for his Raiders teammates Leilua and Paulo.
"The Canberra boys are in a good system down there and to have the three of them in our team is certainly a massive bonus," Parish said.
"When Joey is on, I don't think there's a more devastating centre in the game. One good thing about being in Canberra with [Raiders coach Ricky Stuart], is Joey has got some consistency in his game and his life.
"We're hoping he can really reach his potential in this World Cup.
"Junior has gone from strength to strength since he's been at the Raiders. He's big and strong, but has a great motor. He's been a mainstay of our pack and he's great to have around."
The Raiders will have no players in the Australian squad for the first time since 1995, but they are building a strong international contingent.
Jordan Rapana and Joe Tapine were named in New Zealand's squad on Thursday, while Kurt Baptiste and Kato Ottio will play for Papua New Guinea.
England is expected to include Josh Hodgson and Elliott Whitehead when coach Wayne Bennett names his squad on Monday. Former Raiders skipper Terry Campese will play for Italy.
