TEST selector Bob McCarthy says Mitchell Pearce is on Australia's selection radar and can clinch a World Cup berth by outpointing Daly Cherry-Evans in the NRL grand final.

The Kangaroos’ 24-man squad is named Monday and McCarthy confirmed Manly schemer Cherry-Evans will be a certain selection after a breakthrough Origin campaign this season.

But with the national panel weighing up the prospect of taking a fourth playmaker to Europe, Pearce can advance his own Test claims by leading the Roosters to premiership glory.

Johnathan Thurston, Cooper Cronk and Cherry-Evans are locked in as Australia's playmaking triumvirate.

But with Cherry-Evans capable of handling several positions, including hooker and lock, Kangaroos hierarchy could feasibly blood Pearce in Australia's pool games against minnows Fiji and Ireland.

The 24-year-old has been in red-hot form in the run to the decider and McCarthy paid tribute to Pearce’s mental toughness after being pilloried for NSW’s loss in this year’s Origin decider.

"Mitchell played Origin this year so he’s definitely one guy we are looking at," the long serving Australia selector said.

"Cherry-Evans will definitely go away, but Pearce the last two weeks has produced the best football I've seen him play.

"He’s playing sensational football.

"Mitchell is playing as good as Cherry-Evans but Daly will be going away first and foremost because he will be the 14th man for the Test.

"We'll have to play two games against Ireland and Fiji without our stars so we might need more playmakers, which would bring Mitchell Pearce into the mix."

Pearce is a veteran of six NSW Origin campaigns but has yet to wear the Kangaroos jumper, going close by clinching Prime Minister’s XIII selection two years ago.

McCarthy, a former NSW selector who blooded Pearce at Origin level, believes the Roosters No.7 has been unfairly targeted by critics.

"We only got beaten by a few points once again and yet everyone was kicking Mitchell up the bum," he said.

"He was lambasted right across the game. OK, he didn't have the greatest game (in Origin III) but he wasn't solely to blame.

"His response is a credit to his attitude. His last month or so has been sensational and the other selectors will be closely watching the way he goes in the grand final."