Jackson Hastings hopes form for Wigan Warriors catches eye of England coach Shaun Wane

Nor is the current Steve Prescott Man of Steel surrendering hope he may convince Shaun Wane he deserves a place in the national squad for the Ashes at the end of the season.

Wane has made it clear he has not closed the door on Australian-born players like Hastings – who figured for Great Britain last autumn – but suggested their form would need to be “outstanding”.

“If two players are playing exactly the same, I’m going to go with the English kid,” said Wane, who will address 31 ‘potential candidates’ at Old Trafford later this month.

“If I was to bring anyone in who wasn’t English, they’d have to be outstanding.”

It’s a challenge Hastings hopes he can match.

“I would have loved to have been in amongst it and going to that meeting and met Shaun and learn his philosophies,” he said. “But it wasn’t meant to be, you keep your head up and if I play well for Wigan and we get the results, hopefully that will transfer into me making that squad at the end of the year.

“I’m not kicking stones – I’m obviously disappointed. I got a taste of rep’ football last year and, when you get that, you want to be a part of it for a long time.

“To miss out is disappointing, but I’ve had to deal with more disappointment than that throughout my career.

“I’ve learned to accept things, move on and improve. When I was younger I’d probably kick stones and be bitter but that’s not the case at all.”

Hastings, who qualifies for England through a grandparent, was informed before playing for Great Britain that doing so would prevent him ever playing for Australia.

“I got told I can’t play for Australian anyway now I’ve played for Great Britain, I’m English essentially,” said the 24-year-old.

“I know a lot of people will blow up about that and say I’m Australian, but I couldn’t play for Australia even if I wanted to – I’m an English player. I didn’t make that squad and that’s fine, there’s obviously something there that I wasn’t worthy of making it and I can wear that. I just want to play well for Wigan and if we do well as a club, hopefully that means by the end of the year I make that final squad.

“I saw an interview when he (Wane) said it’s open to anyone playing well, and that’s my goal and ambition. I want to win things here, be successful here and hopefully that transfers onto the international stage. If not, if I’ve played well then I can live with that.

“I’m a Wigan player and I want to do well for us.”

He has certainly been doing that so far.

Adrian Lam told fans it may take him a while to settle into his key role in the Warriors line-up, but his two tries against Hull KR last Sunday underlined the quick impact he has already made.

And now he is poised for an emotional return to Salford on Friday night to face the club which revived his career, after his exit from Manly in 2018.

“It’s a place I hold dear to my heart,” he said. “I think it’ll be a pretty emotional build-up to going back to a place I care a lot about, but at the same time I’ll do everything I can to beat them.

“I’m not going to go there and dip my toe in, I’m going to go and play as hard as I can and hopefully get the result.

“ I think at the end of the game it’ll be more relief that it’s out of the way.”

Victory would tighten Wigan’s grip on top spot and many will expect them to win, given Salford – last year’s Grand Finalists – have lost five of their opening six matches.

“The success we had last year, everyone thought it’d roll into this year but it doesn’t work like that,” said Hastings.

“A few boys left, myself included, and Watto (Ian Watson) has had to rebuild again, but I think their team is more well-rounded than last year.

I just don’t think it’s clicked for them yet. They found their rhythm in the second-half against Catalans and they have some threats all over the park.

“Dan Sarginson has gone there and, though he didn’t play at the weekend, he’s been massive for them, and probably their best player.

“Niall Evalds is always a threat, Kevin Brown has controlled the team, they have a big forward pack with experience, and a lot of ex-Wigan boys who love coming up against us. So it’s going to be a test, no matter what.”