St George Illawarra pair Dan Hunt and Matt Prior are celebrating late call-ups for the NSW Country Origin side for Friday night's rugby league clash with NSW City.

They were added to coach Laurie Daley's team on Monday following a reshuffle caused by injury to Australian Test prop David Shillington.

Shillington was ruled out of Friday night's Test against New Zealand at Skilled Park, resulting in a promotion to the green and gold for Country front rower Kade Snowden.

With Country backrower Beau Scott also summoned to the Kangaroos' camp on the Gold Coast as 18th man, CRL selectors found themselves with two spaces to fill for the match in Albury and decided on Hunt and Prior.

Backrower Prior moves onto the bench while Hunt takes Snowden's place in the starting side at prop for what looms as a genuine NSW State of Origin team selection trial.

"I got the late call up around eight o'clock last night. I was with the Saints boys at our leagues club and I got word that Beau was going to the Aussie team and then I got the call ... it was pretty exciting," said Prior.

Country coach Laurie Daley confirmed that skipper Glenn Stewart will start in the second row with Newcastle's Chris Houston while Wests Tigers Chris Heighington will line up at lock.

NSW Country team: Josh Dugan, Michael Gordon, Josh Morris, Joel Thompson, Akuila Uate, Jamie Soward, Jarrod Mullen, Dan Hunt, Michael Ennis, Aiden Tolman, Chris Houston, Glenn Stewart (capt), Chris Heighington, Int: Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Trent Merrin, Matt Prior, Tim Moltzen.

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