If Paul Gallen wasn't already pencilled in for the trans-Tasman Test in Newcastle, surely he'll be in now.

The Australian team for the mid-year international against New Zealand will be announced on Tuesday and the position of veteran Gallen had been in some question.

After ramming home his Test credentials with a mighty individual performance in Cronulla's 20-18 win over Penrith on Sunday he has every reason he will be there on May 6. "Whatever happens is going to happen. You can't change anything now," Gallen said.

"I've never hidden the fact that it's a goal of mine to get my Test jumper. I've made it my own for the best part of eight years, I suppose, and I've always cherished playing for Australia. I want to play for Australia there is no doubt about that. All I can do is do what I'm doing for Cronulla and if I get picked."

Mal Meninga and the national selection panel can't have been anything but impressed. Gallen's numbers said it all: 43 tackles, 246 metres, 24 hit-ups and 80 minutes.

There was more to it than that, though. Gallen, like the also outstanding Andrew Fifita, regularly took three or four opposition defenders to drag them down. With Aaron Woods out injured and Corey Parker likely to be preferred at lock the NSW captain will probably end up getting a start in the front row for Australia, if not on the bench.

"He was one of our best players out there tonight," Flanagan said.  "His carries, he simplified his game, he was outstanding. He didn't have to have a spell, played the whole 80 minutes ..." Gallen interjected: "I could have done with one."

"I would have liked to have given him one, too," Flanagan added. "But I needed him out there because that's the quality of player that he is."

Gallen and Parker will go head to head in Sunday's clash against Brisbane, which Flanagan says will give them a true measure of where they are. "I'm happy with where we're at," the coach said. "We've still got a lot of improvement in us and the real test is going to come next week, and all the boys as soon as they cut their strapping off tonight they're thinking about next week. It's going to be a big game for us on Sunday against the Broncos. We'll see how we're going then."

While Cronulla lost Jayson Bukuya to concussion in the first half and Penrith's defeat was heightened by injuries to young five-eighth Te Maire Martin (AC joint) and Waqa Blake (hip). Panthers coach Anthony Griffin bemoaned conceding of "soft points" after a see-sawing affair. "We put ourselves in a position to earn the right to win the game and we found a way defensively to break down," Griffin said. "I couldn't be prouder of their efforts and the direction that we're moving. We're not giving anyone a minute's peace.