Growing up in Gulgong, Jackson dreamt about playing in the green and gold one day.

That day was Sunday, November 9, 2014.

Jackson was named on the bench for the Kangaroos' clash with Samoa at Wollongong's WIN Stadium.

Australia won the match 44-18 and booked themselves a spot in Saturday's Four Nations final against New Zealand in Wellington.

Jackson played 25 minutes on Sunday and he said he cherished every minute of it.

“It was a good day and I was pretty excited,” the 23-year-old said to the Mudgee Guardian.

“It was a proud moment for me and it was a surreal feeling.

“I had my parents and Maddie [girlfriend] and a few mates there watching.”

Jackson was told mid-week of last week that he was going to become the 798th player to represent the Kangaroos.

The Bulldogs back-rower hadn't featured in Australia's matches against New Zealand and England but coach Tim Sheens threw him into the mix against the developing league nation.

“It is a good squad and there are a couple of guys I've looked at over the past couple of weeks and experimented today with young Josh Jackson,” Sheens said at the post-match press conference.

“I had a look at him and I don't think it was an experiment, he is a good kid and he wasn't going to let us down.”

Jackson was a key figure in Canterbury's surge to the NRL grand final and is set to be a key plank in NSW coach Laurie Daley's long-term State of Origin plans.

Jackson is yet to make his Origin debut, but was called into the Blues camp and acted as 18th man for game one.

The Gulgong and Mudgee junior has twice played for Country in the annual City-Country Origin series, and was a Junior Kangaroo in 2010 and 2011.

Asked if he sees himself playing in the final, Jackson said he would wait and see what happens.

“We fly over to Wellington today and get stuck into training. If I do it would be great but if I don't, It's just a great experience to be there,” Jackson said.