And he adds if the New Zealand Kiwis are "smart" they'll look to get the ball to the NRL's "in-form winger" in Perth on Saturday night.

Kiwis coach David Kidwell has picked Rapana to make his Test debut against Australia, with his Raiders teammate Joe Tapine named as 18th man on an extended bench on Tuesday.

It completes a Cinderella rise for the 27-year-old, who just three years ago was playing club football for the Queanbeyan Blues in the Canberra Raiders Cup after trying to break into Super Rugby ranks with the ACT Brumbies.

After a brilliant season, where his lethal right-edge combination with Raiders centre Joey Leilua helped Canberra to an NRL grand final qualifier, now he's about to get his first taste of international footy.

Mullins backed Rapana to make an impact on the world stage.

"He deserves it mate, he deserves it. [Raiders coach Ricky Stuart] has done a great job with him. He's obviously enjoying his football ... having the time of his life and scoring plenty of tries," he said.

"He's got to be up the top [of NRL wingers] doesn't he. He's the in-form winger at the moment, it's a pity he's a Kiwi, but you can't hold that against him.

"He's terrorised every side this year with his try-scoring ability."

Mullins said the Kiwis would be wise to utilise Rapana's potency on the outside.

While he was worried about the damage Rapana could do to the Kangaroos team Mullins used to play for, his one consolation was that Leilua wasn't playing centre alongside him for New Zealand.

Dubbed "Leipana", the duo became one of the most destructive combinations in the NRL this season with most sides struggling to stop them.

He said the centre determined what impact a winger could have and was grateful a rampaging Leilua, who narrowly missed out on the Kangaroos squad due to a hamstring injury, wouldn't be there to feed him.

Kidwell has named Warriors centre Solomone Kata, who will also make his debut, and Roosters star Shaun Kenny-Dowall in the centres for the Kiwis.

"You can tell a good centre by how many tries their winger scores. He's obviously got good inside people [at the Raiders] and he does a great job himself supporting those guys," Mullins said.

"It will depend on who's inside him, whether he gets the ball or not. He can find the line given a half opportunity.

"If they're smart, they'll give him some opportunities."

Rapana broke the Raiders' season try-scoring record this year, which was jointly held by Mullins, Noa Nadruku and Jason Croker.

Mullins and Croker both scored 22 tries in 1994, when the Raiders last won the premiership.

Rapana beat their mark by a single try, which he scored in Canberra's heartbreaking 14-12 loss to the Melbourne Storm in the NRL preliminary final.

Mullins was happy to pass the baton on to Rapana after a 20-year stint with the record.

His only regret was the Kiwi flyer didn't score one more to send the Green Machine into the grand final.

"They're there to be broken aren't they. I just wish he had've scored another one and we could've won the game," Mullins said.

"I was happy for him, he had a great season so good luck to him. That record stood for 22 years so I'm happy with that."

It puts Rapana in the frame to play in next year's Rugby League World Cup, which announced ticket prices on Tuesday.

Canberra will host three games – Australia against France, France and Lebanon, as well as Fiji up against a qualifier.

Venue packs will go on sale on Thursday, with all three Canberra Stadium games available for $51, while individual tickets start at $20 and go on sale on October 27. Tickets are available from rlwc2017.com.

AT A GLANCE

Saturday: NZ Kiwis v Australian Kangaroos in Perth, 10pm.

Kiwis team: 1  Jordan Kahu, 2 Jason Nightingale, 3 Solomone Kata, 4 Shaun Kenny-Dowall, 5 Jordan Rapana, 6 Thomas Leuluai, 7 Shaun Johnson, 8 Jesse Bromwich (c), 9 Issac Luke, 10 Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, 11  Kevin Proctor, 12 Tohu Harris, 13 Jason Taumalolo. Interchange: 14 Lewis Brown, 15 Martin Taupau, 16 Manu Ma'u, 17 Adam Blair, 18 Joseph Tapine, 19 Gerard Beale.