EVERGREEN Knights centre Adam MacDougall has been recalled to the international arena, eight years after the last of his 11 Tests for Australia.
The 34-year-old backline tackle-buster has been named on a five-man bench for the Prime Minister's XIII to play Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby on September 27.
"We spoke to him about it today and he's very keen," Australian Rugby League spokesman Doug MacDougall, no relation, said yesterday. "Selectors named 18 players and the rules are unlimited interchange, so they will all play."
MacDougall's last representative match was for Country Origin in 2006, when he played for South Sydney.
Before that, he appeared in 11 Tests in 2000 and 2001, including the 2000 World Cup and 2001 Kangaroo Tour.
Charismatic MacDougall played 11 State of Origin games for NSW from 1998 to 2001, establishing a fierce rivalry with former Queensland winger Wendell Sailor, which they rekindled on friendlier terms in April when the Knights beat the Dragons 24-18 at Kogarah.
MacDougall, one of five players to take part in Newcastle's grand final victories over Manly (1997) and Parramatta (2001), has played 172 first-grade games for the Knights, Rabbitohs and Roosters since his debut for the Roosters in 1995.
He rejoined Newcastle from Souths in 2007 and played 18 games that year, 15 last season and 16 this year. MacDougall has another year left on his contract with the Knights but is undecided about whether to take up that option, retire, or explore other career paths.
Queensland Origin coach Mal Meninga, in charge of the Prime Minister's XIII for the fifth straight year, has welcomed former Roosters coach Brad Fittler to his staff.
The team will undergo medical checks in Sydney tomorrow then gather in Cairns on September 24 for an overnight camp before leaving for Port Moresby.
The squad is: Josh Dugan (Raiders), Nathan Merritt (Rabbitohs), Michael Jennings (Panthers), Joel Monaghan (Raiders), David Williams (Sea Eagles), Terry Campese (Raiders), Johnathan Thurston (Cowboys), Petero Civoniceva (c, Panthers), Robbie Farah (Tigers), Keith Galloway (Tigers), Trent Waterhouse (Panthers), Luke O'Donnell (Cowboys), Paul Gallen (Sharks). Interchange: Luke Lewis (Panthers), Dave Shillington (Raiders), Nate Myles (Roosters), Tom Learoyd-Lahrs (Raiders) and MacDougall.
[PI9016] Knights utility forward Chris Houston joined skipper Kurt Gidley yesterday as Newcastle's only representatives in Australia's Quad Nations train-on squad.
Gidley, who has been a fixture in the Kangaroos for the past two seasons, was considered an automatic selection but Houston's inclusion is further recognition of his progress since joining the Knights from the Dragons at the end of 2007.
Comfortable in the front row or second row, the 24-year-old Narooma junior was selected as 19th man for NSW for Origin III in Brisbane two months ago, which the Blues won 28-16 to avert a series clean sweep.
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