IT'S hard to know what is more remarkable - Israel Folau's rapid rise to become Australia's youngest player in a century of trans-Tasman rivalry or the fact that he and close childhood friends Krisnan Inu and Jarryd Hayne will all play in next Sunday's Test at Wellington's Westpac Stadium.

With Justin Hodges yesterday ruled out of the Kangaroos side due to an ankle injury, selectors turned to 18-year-old Folau. His ascension completes the trifecta of teenage stars who honed their skills playing together after school in a park at Minto becoming internationals.

Eric Grothe's failure to attend training last week and Jamie Lyon's suspension on Wednesday night also paved the way for Folau's selection.

The call-up caps a year of overachievement for Folau - by his own estimate. The player, who aimed only to play once for the Storm this season, has now won a premiership and been honoured with national duty.

And, for a change, he will line up alongside Hayne - one of seven other debutants in the Kangaroos squad - against Inu, the rookie Kiwis fullback who was plucked from obscurity to represent New Zealand in this year's Anzac Test after just one top-grade appearance for the Eels.

"I think, for us, we just can't wait to get on the field and play footy," Inu said, when asked yesterday to consider how far the trio had come this season. "We don't think about all that other stuff."

Folau, who scored a club record 21 tries for the season and was last night named the Storm's rookie of the year after playing every game for Melbourne, said his achievements had exceeded his wildest dreams.

"I'm so happy to be named in the Kangaroos squad to take on the Kiwis in Wellington," Folau said. "It has always been a dream of mine to pull on the green and gold jersey of Australia, and now that dream has come true."

Initially selected for the Junior Kangaroos, Folau withdrew from the under-19s team's Pacific tour due to an AC joint injury suffered in the grand final defeat of Manly. However, the Melbourne medical staff are confident he will be fit for the Wellington Test.

Inu believes Folau should have been named in the senior Australian team from the outset and predicted he would be one of the dangermen against the Kiwis.

"I was hoping he would be selected for the top side, not the Junior Kangaroos. He has played some really good footy this year," Inu said. "He is going to be one of those X-factors for them, like [Greg] Inglis and Haynsey. Everyone has got to look out for him.

"People underestimate him, he is a young boy but he has got a lot of strength and speed. I don't think he has got that many weaknesses [but] no one is perfect."

Kangaroos coach Ricky Stuart said he was undecided whether Folau would play in the centres or on the wing, with Inglis to shift infield.

"I'll play that out when I get to talk to Israel, but it won't be a big thing … I just want to sit down and talk about where he's comfortable playing," Stuart said.

Melbourne lock Dallas Johnson was yesterday named as 18th man for Australia, joining Folau, Inglis and Storm skipper Cameron Smith, halfback Cooper Cronk and back-rower Michael Crocker as members of Melbourne's premiership-winning team on the plane to Wellington next Monday.

Storm forwards Jeremy Smith and Jeff Lima are in the 19-man New Zealand squad.