"GI is a player who has achieved pretty much everything in our game and he's the guy a lot of kids and even players look up to," Johnson said. "He's a pretty good example of what other players want to achieve and to be on stage with him is pretty special." Inglis, who helped the Rabbitohs break a 43-year premiership drought in October, added: "It's an incredible honour and I will feel great pride standing alongside Shaun to launch the 2015 calendar. "You dream of just playing rugby league, but to win a premiership with Souths, to be named captain of the club and to kick the season off like this, all in the space of a few months, is truly special and something I can carry with me always. "It's changed my life. My dream is that there are kids out there who will be inspired enough to believe that their lives can be changed by rugby league too."

The fact that the launch is being held in New Zealand is an acknowledgement of the development of the game in the country. The inaugural Nines tournament was a great success, the Kiwis toppled Australia in their most recent meeting and there is a bid to introduce a second trans-Tasman franchise into an expanded NRL. "That's why I'm so excited and want to be a part of launching the season," Johnson said. "Growing up as a kid playing rugby league in New Zealand, it was always known we would have to play second or third fiddle in this country. It's exciting that it's growing and it's starting to be recognised by Australia. "There's a lot of kids who play rugby league in New Zealand and with the success of the NInes, the win by the Kiwis and now launching the season, it's very exciting." The choice of a player to front the NRL's launch can be fraught with danger. In recent years Brett Stewart, Benji Marshall and Ben Barba have, through bad luck or bad management, become embroiled in controversy after fronting the campaign.

"Every year we consider players who best represent the things that are great about the game," said the NRL's head of commercial, Paul Kind. "In Shaun Johnson and Greg Inglis you have two very special players, two very unique talents, and players who in the course of last year shone in our major events. "On top of that, they are two players who off the field gave a lot back to the community. They chose themselves." Johnson, who follows on from last year's selection Anthony Minichiello, doesn't view the honour as a poisoned chalice. "Not at all," he said.

"Obviously whatever I've done to get myself into this position at the moment I haven't seen as a burden. I've enjoyed myself, had fun and that's what I'm going to continue to do. If I can put a smile on a kid's face, that's what I'll aim to do. I'll try to make some improvements here and there. It's certainly no burden." Joining Inglis and Johnson at the launch will be the likes of Australian captain Cameron Smith, New Zealand skipper Simon Mannering, NSW centre Josh Morris and Queensland playmaker Johnathan Thurston.