NRL prop forward Max King is the latest Australian-based player to consider representing England if called upon.
King was born in Huddersfield when his dad, David, was playing for the Giants back in 1997.
His mother was born in Dewsbury and whilst his dad was born in Australia, he played for six clubs in the UK before returning to Australia when his son was seven.
Max has been plying his trade at the Canterbury Bulldogs since 2022 and has been a stalwart for them over the last eighteen months in particular.
He’s made over 70 appearances so far for the Bulldogs, who are currently top of the NRL table with five wins from five games.
King has not explicitly said that he will make the switch to represent England internationally but he is considering it.
NRL forward makes England stance clear with message to Shaun Wane
Speaking to Wide World of Sports, he said: “I always say the same thing: my mum is English and her side would love for me to play. My dad is an Aussie and he’d love for me to do something there.
“My phone is on. I always say whoever calls me first but it hasn’t rung for anything.”
He is the second player in the past week to consider changing allegiances, with Gold Coast Titans fullback AJ Brimson debating it also.
However, a switch to play for England for either King or Brimson would mean sacrificing a State of Origin spot.
There’s plenty of debate down under currently about the NRL eligibility criteria, which states that those representing either New South Wales or Queensland cannot represent a nation internationally other than Australia.
King has never played in the Origin series, despite being eligible for New South Wales, but would rule himself out of a potential call-up should he decide to represent England on the international stage.
With Wakefield Trinity’s Mike McMeeken, St Helens’ Matty Lees and Wigan Warriors duo Luke Thompson and Tyler Dupree the frontrunning quartet to be England’s props for the upcoming Ashes series, could King oust any of them to nab a spot in the squad come October?
