Gold Coast Titans playmaker Lauren Brown has declared she has overcome a hamstring injury as she pushes for selection for the Harvey Norman Jillaroos' historic Test against England in Las Vegas.
The halfback injured her hamstring in last year's Prime Minister's XIII game, forcing her to miss the entirety of the Jillaroos' Pacific Championships campaign.
Despite the injury, Brown remained with the squad throughout the tournament and played a key role off the field as Australia achieved redemption with a convincing victory over New Zealand in the final.
The 29-year-old has spent the summer recovering from the hamstring strain and working back to full fitness in a bid to book her place on the plane to Las Vegas.
Australia's success in the Pacific Championships will make it difficult to break into the side, however Brown said she is doing everything she can to earn a call up.
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"It's going to be a cool exhibition for whoever gets the opportunity to play," Brown told reporters on the Gold Coast. "I'd love to go and put my hand up and play but we'll see what unfolds over the next couple of weeks.
"The hammy is all good. I haven't stopped training, I've been continuing rehabbing it for the last 10 or 11 weeks so I'm feeling fit and strong. I'm 100% and ready to go if I do get the call up.
"The girls had a really successful Pacific Championships last year so it will be hard to try and break back into the squad with some of the girls coming through and killing it. It's going to be extremely hard to work your way back in there and I'll be grateful for any opportunity."
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Brown's comments came as the Titans announced the halfback had signed a contract extension through to the end of the 2027 season.
The playmaker first joined the Gold Coast in 2022 and went on to make her Jillaroos debut at the World Cup later in the year.
Australia's clash with England at Allegiant Stadium will mark a historic moment for the two sides, who will meet for the first time since 2017.
The game will be played as part of a quadruple header, with two NRL matches and a UK Super League game to be held in a festival of rugby league.
The Jillaroos match has already generated significant interest among female athletes in the US and is set to attract more elite athletes to the NRLW in the coming years.
The competition has rapidly become the home for star players from around the world, with multiple England players looking to make the move to Australia.
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Hollie Mae-Dodd has played for the Raiders since 2023, while Paige Travis is joining the Eels this year.
Given the level of talent within both camps, Brown is confident the two sides will produce a high-quality contest that showcases the physicality and athleticism required to play international rugby league.
"England have such an incredible side and a lot of their girls play over here in the NRL," Brown said. "They had a really successful World Cup campaign in 2022 and they're just getting stronger and stronger.
"It's going to be a really tough, physical game. Australia hasn't played England in a few years so it will be a good test to see how both teams have come along since the last time we met."
