Not satisfied with an Ashes series victory that Josh Addo-Carr hailed as rugby league's "pinnacle", the world champion Kangaroos are determined to complete a whitewash of England even as they ponder final-Test changes.
As Australia went an unassailable 2-0 up with their feisty 14-4 triumph at Everton on Saturday, 'the flying Foxx' Addo-Carr was happy to place his Ashes victory even above his State of Origin triumphs as he saluted the intensity of the renewed classic international series.
It's why he and his teammates have vowed to complete the job at Headingley on Saturday by sweeping an England side who, according to their captain George Williams, are equally intent on avoiding such an "embarrassment".
Watch all the highlights as The Kangaroos take on England in Game 2 of The Ashes! 🎥 pic.twitter.com/vE4mMwqug7
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The question for Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters, then, is how to balance the team's determination to achieve that clean sweep with possibly giving a chance to those players in a close-knit squad who haven't yet had game-time on tour.
Asked about possible changes for the final match, Walters admitted he hadn't yet decided but added it would be "nice to give some guys a reward" for their efforts in training to help hone the match-day squads for action.
That means possible opportunities for the likes of Blayke Brailey, Dylan Edwards, Ethan Strange, Mitchell Moses and Jacob Preston.
Walters reckoned he was proud of the team for battling through a very different kind of challenge than they're used to back home.
"You probably don't experience these sorts of game in the NRL, where it's slow and it's tough and its physical and there's not many points being scored. I was really happy that we could overcome that," he said.
"We're used to the free-flowing style of football and our guys really adapted well today to the conditions. That was an old-style Test match. Next week could be a similar game, so we'll certainly be ready for it."
Addo-Carr will certainly be ready if called on, as he hailed the magnitude of the win in the series which has been revived after a 22-year absence.
"This is the pinnacle of rugby league. Origin is massive, but when you put the Kangaroos jersey on you're playing with the best players in the world, best player in your position in the world," said the 30-year-old Parramatta and NSW flyer, the veteran of 15 Origin clashes.
"We've got the best players in the world and Kevin reminds us of that. Our connection from the start of the camp to now shows how close we are as a group.
"Now we still have one more game to go and need to try and prepare the very best we can and hopefully give it a whitewash, but it's going to be a tough game next week."
Especially as England will be fired up, according to captain Williams. "We're going to try and get some pride back, we don't want to be embarrassed 3-0," said the former Canberra playmaker.
"There is a lot riding on it, massive event in this country, so we have to get some pride back in the jersey."
With PA
