Penrith's Luke Civoniceva and Luke Lewis did play, of course.

They were members of the Australian team that beat England 46-18 in the final and were individual winners too.

Civoniceva broke the legendary Johnny Raper's record of 39 appearances for Australia.

At 33, the Penrith captain said his thirst for representative football remained and as long as he was picked, he would keep playing.

Civoniceva again was a rock in the Australian forwards and if he stays solid, will be picked and picked.

Lewis went away as a fringe utility player and started the final as a second rower.

He could have started as a winger, centre, five-eighth or lock.

Lewis's impressive NRL form this season has seen him go from a stalled representative career to approaching indispensability, at least from the bench.

But it was the final-absentee Jennings who made the giant strides.

He scored three tries on his Australian debut, against France, exceeding Reg Gasnier.

The legendary one scored three tries against England in the first Test of the 1959 Kangaroo tour.

However, that was Gasnier's fourth Australian appearance.

The Gasnier comparison is apposite.

Their differences are apparent and go beyond physical appearance but the similarities are great.

The long-retired Gasnier in his prime shared blinding acceleration, quicksilver anticipation and the Scarlet Pimpernel's elusiveness with Jennings.

In the pre left-right centre days, Jennings would have been a match-winning outside centre, like Gasnier.

Jennings is a potential match winner in every game he plays ... has been in every game he's played.

A Greg Inglis-Jennings combination could be unbeatable at international level.

Australian coach Tim Sheens was impressed by Jennings' enthusiasm and pace on tour and almost picked him for the final.

Jennings should have taken a big step forward in confidence, a sportsperson's greatest asset.

Should he improve his defensive robustness, Four Nations finals football won't be the limit, and Penrith more than Sheens will be glad.