Jason Taumalolo

Tonga will become the first Pacific nation to play a full three-Test series against England and Frizell will join a forward pack already brimming with big names, including Addin Fonua-Blake, Felise Kaufusi, Moeaki Fotuaika, Keaon Koloamatangi, Tevita Tatola and Haumole Olakau’atu.

Jason Taumalolo is a notable absentee but Kristian Woolf has still been able to choose a strong squad, with Frizell, Storm strike forward Eliesa Katoa and Sydney Roosters second-rower Suia Wong among the new faces.

Taumalolo will seek further medical advice before deciding the appropriate course of treatment but the club expects the Tongan wrecking ball to spend up to a month on the sidelines.

Former Warrior Lachlan Burr and back-rower Shane Wright have been included in the reserves for the Saturday's clash with the Dragons and will come into calculations to replace Taumalolo.

It's capped a delicate week for Taumalolo, who was publicly questioned by Cowboys coach Todd Payten following a sub-par performance against the Panthers in round one.

Payten - who made his mark last year as the Warriors' interim head coach - criticised Taumalolo's lack of defensive pressure in the Cowboys' first round defeat to Penrith.

Taumalolo - a New Zealand-born Tonga test star on a 10-year deal at North Queensland worth $1 million a season - made 10 runs for 71 metres, but Payten felt his superstar middle forward should have put more pressure on Nathan Cleary's kick that led to a try for Isaah Yeo.

The 27 year-old has been rated as the player to watch out for from Tonga, by the ultimate rugby league news website ‘Love Rugby League’.

Taumalolo is a household name in rugby league.

The 27-year-old has represented Tonga 13 times and has played for the kingdom in two World Cups.

The North Queensland Cowboys star is a Dally M Medal winner and was named in the 2017 World Cup Team of the Tournament.

Tonga will be playing against Papua  New Guinea on 26 October at the Totally Wicked Stadium.

The sight of Taumalolo hobbling up the tunnel of McDonald Jones Stadium in the 53rd minute would have sent shivers up the spines of all North Queensland Cowboys fans.

He only managed 41 metres in his 32 minutes on the field in Sunday's 12-0 loss to the Knights, which is far below his usual standards.

In the round seven 32-30 win over the Knights in Townsville, Taumalolo ran for 297 metres in his 70 minutes input.

"It's a calf injury but I'm not sure of the severity. It's a fresh injury – he had no niggle coming into the game," said Cowboys coach Josh Hannay.

Thurston won everything there is to win in the game in his illustrious career with both the Cowboys and the Bulldogs, cementing his status as one of the legends of the game with his 2015 premiership win.

In the Channel Nine survey, Thurston, the  Cowboys and Queensland legend, placed ahead of Andrew Johns and Cameron Smith, while Darren Lockyer, Billy Slater, Brad Fittler, Greg Inglis, Cooper Cronk, Taumalolo and Laurie Daley rounded out the top 10.

Taumalolo was rated the "most destructive'' player in NRL history, outpointing former Brisbane Broncos great Gorden Tallis.

Already considered the NRL's premier forward, Taumalolo will assume a more senior role in a younger Cowboys' forward pack when they kick off their season against Brisbane next Friday.

Now into year three of his decade-long deal in Townsville, Taumalolo's steam- rolling style has left every other club searching for a clone.

But if there was one fear when he signed his landmark $10 million contract it was that motivation could become an issue for the star back-rower.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that promoter Paul Langi Kinikini wants to cough up the cash to bring the two mega stars to Utah.

The city has a large Tonga population and if it gets approved by international chiefs would be played in Salt Lake City.

League authorities would be wise to examine the fallout from the Kiwis vs England Test in Denver in 2018, which saw both the New Zealand and English federations out of pocket following Jason Moore’s failed event.

But Kinikini told The Sydney Morning Herald he didn’t have an issue with paying the cash up front.

This year has been a period of uncertainty for the Tongans, much of it coming from a long-running dispute between coach Kristian Woolf and the local Tonga National Rugby League.

There has been court action, claim and counter-claim and anger expressed through many in the the rugby league community.

Taumalolo's co-captain, Siosiua Taukeiaho, made reference to the uncertainty after their Australian win saying the players didn't even know if they were going to play this year.

Taumalolo said it was time to move forward.

Jason Taumalolo, Andrew Fifita, Daniel Tupou, Tevita Pangai Junior and Siosiua Taukeiaho will all turn out for the Kristian Woolf-coached side.

The team will play under the banner of "Invitational XIII" after a Supreme Court ruling declared the Tonga National Rugby League was the only authority able to operate and control the official national representative side.

The ruling came after the Rugby League International Federation suspended the TNRL after threats of a player boycott in support of Woolf, who had been sacked over disagreements around control and finances.