Within seconds of the champagne corks being popped at Old Trafford on Saturday evening, the minds of many had already begun to drift towards what lies ahead for British rugby league. The return of the Great Britain team for the first time in more than a decade will take centre stage on Monday when Wayne Bennett’s squad for the tour of the southern hemisphere is confirmed.

Few players who were involved in the Grand Final on Saturday have had a wait as dramatic as Josh Jones. The 26-year-old forward was part of the Salford side beaten 23-6 by St Helens at Old Trafford, but that was far from the end of an eventful weekend for him: he got married on Sunday, while also receiving the nod from Bennett.

Morgan Knowles and Zeb Taia lead St Helens to Grand Final win over Salford Read more

“The wedding was supposed to be last weekend, but I said I thought we’d make the Grand Final so we put it back,” Jones said with a smile. “We knew we’d have a busy couple of days but we’re used to it. The honeymoon has gone up in smoke, but Olivia understands. If I’m fortunate enough to be on the tour then maybe she can join me there and we can have it in Australia.”

Jones is one of many players who were involved in Saturday’s final that were waiting for a call in the aftermath of Old Trafford. With experienced front-line internationals such as Sean O’Loughlin and Sam Burgess injured, there is an opportunity for a new breed of players such as Jones and the St Helens forward Alex Walmsley to make their Great Britain debuts this autumn against New Zealand, Tonga and Papua New Guinea.

For Walmsley, any call-up would be the culmination of a remarkable rise which has seen him go from promising amateur talent to Lions international in only seven years. “Just a few years ago I was playing for Dewsbury Celtic on a farmer’s field in front of 200 people,” Walmsley, who won his second Super League title on Saturday, said. “It’s been an amazing journey. This is the pinnacle of my career and, hopefully, it’s all eyes on Great Britain now. We’ll enjoy these next few days because this has been five years in the making, winning the title again. But I hope I can sneak on to the plane.”

One man who is guaranteed to be involved is the other half of the Saints’ front-row superstars: Walmsley’s partner-in-crime, Luke Thompson.

“I think he’s the best in the world,” said Walmsley. “I saw him step up last year and do what he did and I was so excited to play alongside him again this year because he’s an unbelievable player.

“To play 70 minutes unbroken in a Grand Final ... tell me another front‑rower in the game that can do that.”

The contrasting journeys of Walmsley, Thompson and Jones – the latter two took the conventional route through Super League academies – underline how the Lions squad will be a group rich in contrast and diversity.

When the final 23-man group is unveiled on Monday afternoon without more familiar names such as O’Loughlin and Burgess involved, it will be a nod to the future of British rugby league, as well as the present.