Kiwis legend Shaun Johnson's inspirational lessons are set to inspire the next generation of New Zealand stars as they chase Pacific Championships redemption.
Johnson delayed his retirement to answer an SOS from Kiwis coach Stacey Jones for last year's Pacific Championships campaign.
Shaun Johnson had quite the final game
With New Zealand battered by injuries, a host of young stars were called into the squad to play alongside the man they grew up idolising.
Casey McLean made his Test debut in Johnson's final game of elite rugby league, scoring four tries in a 54-12 victory over Papua New Guinea, and said the experience has laid the foundation for a new era of Kiwis success.
"It was a childhood dream to play with SJ," McLean told ljmpta.com. "He was my favourite player growing up. To be part of his journey and play in his last game, the little child in me was screaming.
"Just taking the field with him, let alone getting a try from him was a surreal experience.
"Us younger guys will be a lot better for that experience. There were lots of lessons to come from last year and it gave us a little boost of confidence, not just in our own abilities but as a group.
"The thing we were striving for as a group was connection and the younger boys are leading that. Towards the end of camp we were starting to speak up and we'll have more confidence this year."
Casey McLean scores four tries on Kiwis debut
McLean is set to face off against a number of his New Zealand teammates when Penrith travel to Auckland to face the Warriors in Saturday's elimination final.
Jones will have a close eye on proceedings, with finals performances set to play a key role in the final squad selection.
The Kiwis have their sights on Pacific Championships redemption and will begin the campaign against Samoa on October 19. A clash with Tonga at Eden Park will follow, with players and officials hoping to sell out the 50,000 seat venue.
While injuries and inexperience saw the side struggle last year, they are hoping to see the benefits throughout a bumper 18 months that will climax with the 2026 World Cup.
Already positive signs have emerged, with McLean and Roosters prop Naufahu Whyte among the crop using last year's campaign as a springboard for impressive NRL seasons.
Cronulla winger Ronaldo Mulitalo was part of the group forced to watch from the sidelines with injury but declared the side is perfectly placed for future success.
"We had a young squad and so many debutants," Mulitalo said. "Those guys have come back to their clubs better after playing in the black jersey.
"We always want to go forward and New Zealand went forward last year with all the debutants. We unearthed Keano Kini, he's going to be a superstar for the Kiwis, Will Warbrick, Naufahu Whyte, they are all talented players and it builds experience.
"I've watched Casey for a long time and he's going to be in a Kiwis jersey for a long time. I love watching those guys come through and express themselves."
McLean's emergence comes on the back of a standout junior career that saw him make his NRL debut as an 18-year-old last season.
The centre played for NSW in last year's Under 19 State of Origin match and looked destined to represent the Blues at the senior level before pledging his allegiance to the Kiwis.
McLean makes a splash in the rain
Under current eligibility rules, McLean is no longer able to feature in State of Origin because he has played for New Zealand.
The youngster admits it was a tough call but has no regrets about the decision to represent his family's heritage.
"It was about representing my family back home and not just myself," McLean said. "That was the main factor, to represent my parents and my whole whanau back home in Taupo and back in Auckland.
"They were big in my life when I was younger so being able to represent more than just myself, but my whole family was the deciding factor.
"I didn't have the pleasure of growing up back home so that was another thing for me. The experience helped me understand where my people come from and I was able to dive into the culture and learn different hakas."
