Australian Test winger Josh Addo-Carr says he dreams of the Kangaroos adopting a pre-game Indigenous challenge akin to the haka.
Addo-Carr, Latrell Mitchell and Jack Wighton are the three Indigenous players named in Mal Meninga's squad for their Sunday (AEDT) Rugby League World Cup opener against Fiji in Leeds.
The trio have been part of the NRL's pre-season Indigenous All Stars side where a traditional war cry has been performed in response to the Maori team's haka.
New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga and the Cook Islands will all have traditional pre-game performances at this year's tournament but Australia - the largest country in the Pacific region - will not.
Former NRL player Dean Widders has used his profile to call for the introduction of a pre-game challenge before every Kangaroos Test.
Addo-Carr was the subject of one of the most-memorable images of the 2020 season during the All Stars dance.
He paid tribute to former AFL player Nicky Winmar by lifting his playing shirt and pointing to his skin during the performance, and said he would welcome an Indigenous challenge becoming a permanent fixture in the Kangaroos' pre-game ritual.
"It would be really good for everyone to buy into," he told AAP.
"The All Blacks do it even though they are not all Maori. Me, Latrell and Jackie would love it.
"There's things we can do to modify it for some of the boys that don't know how to dance, there's a lot we can do so everyone is a part of it."
Addo-Carr was keen to stress he would have no issue with the Kangaroos' non-Indigenous players participating.
"We're all Australian and that's what this is all about, togetherness," he said.
"That's what my culture is about; respect.
"It would be mad to have it, we could get some elders in and some professional dancers to help create something special."
Addo-Carr's Australia recall means he is in line to play representative football for the first time since 2021.
Overlooked by NSW State of Origin coach Brad Fittler this year, his form in a resurgent Canterbury side has led to him returning to Meninga's set-up for the tournament in England.
But rather than celebrate his own inclusion for the Kangaroos, the 27-year-old said he was delighted for Bulldogs teammate and uncapped international Matt Burton.
"I was more excited for him, given it was his first year at the Dogs and as a five-eighth," Addo-Carr said.
"I knew our combination was going to be special. It would just take some time.
"We have to thank our (Bulldogs) teammates for helping us get here.
"It goes to show the Bulldogs are on the up and shows the competition that you can go to a club that's struggling and you can still have some success."
