NRL star delivers ‘come and get me’ plea to Shaun Wane ahead of Ashes

Canterbury Bulldogs forward Max King has urged either Shaun Wane or Mal Meninga to ‘call him’ ahead of this autumn’s Ashes Series, eligible to represent both England and Australia.

With his 28th birthday coming up next month, King‘s entire career to date has been spent Down Under.

Having donned a shirt at first-grade level for both the Gold Coast Titans and Melbourne Storm prior to joining the Bulldogs in 2022, the prop has 121 NRL appearances under his belt and has already represented Australia’s Prime Minister’s XIII.

His heritage however means he can represent both the Kangaroos and England at full international level.

And having enjoyed a sterling start to 2025 at club level with the Bulldogs, he’s now voiced his hopes of featuring at international level sooner rather than later.

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NRL star delivers ‘come and get me’ plea to Shaun Wane ahead of Ashes

King was born in Huddersfield in 1997 during dad David’s time as a Giants player. His mum hails from Dewsbury, and up until the age of seven, the Bulldogs ace lived on these shores.

Any decision to represent England would, as things currently stand, rule him out of selection for State of Origin.

But the 27-year-old remains open to the idea, and told Australian outlet Wide World of Sports: “I always say the same… my mum’s English, and her side would love for me to play (for England).

“My dad is Aussie, he’d love me to do something there.

“My phone is on, whoever calls me first. It hasn’t rung for anything.”

If King does decide to don an England shirt, he wouldn’t be on his own.

Roosters loose forward Victor Radley was born and bred in Sydney, but now has nine caps for England on his CV having opted to represent them through his Sheffield-born father ahead of the Rugby League World Cup in 2022.

Elsewhere, Titans playmaker AJ Brimson – who has already represented Queensland in State of Origin on four occasions – is on the verge of switching his international allegiance to England, if reports Down Under are to be believed.

Brimson, whose mother was born in England, requires approval from the International Rugby League Federation to complete that switch though having represented Australia during the inaugural Rugby League World Cup Nines.

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