Standing in as captain for the rested Cameron Smith, Cordner only played limited minutes across the two 40-minute games, and was required to wear a brace on his right knee on Saturday night. He also needed to ice his knee after training on Friday afternoon.

Cordner started the first game against Papua New Guinea, but was pulled off midway through the contest and didn't return to the field until the latter stages of the clash against Fiji.

The Sydney Roosters captain, who has battled knee injuries throughout his career and who often ices the troublesome joints after training and games, said this latest niggle was nothing to worry about.

It’s fine, it's just precautionary," Cordner said.

"It's probably the best I've been feeling all year, the body's fine. It's all good.

"It was all right, I didn't get too much game time but it was good to get out there and get some minutes and some ks in the legs and get the footy in my hands."

Saturday's unique three-way match was Cordner's first hit-out since the Roosters were downed by North Queensland in last month's preliminary final.

With Smith rested alongside Storm trio Cooper Cronk, Billy Slater and Will Chambers, and Cowboys playmaker Michael Morgan, the Kangaroos took 19 players into the game and Cordner was offered the chance to captain his country for the first time.

Australian coach Mal Meninga is a big fan of Cordner's leadership qualities, and sees him as Smith's successor as captain.

It's a responsibility Cordner would love to assume if given the opportunity full-time.

"It's a massive honour, although it's a trial match it's pretty special to me and something I'll hold close to my heart forever now," Cordner said in Suva on Saturday.

"It's probably the highest honour you can get as a football player but it's a long way off yet. I try not to think about that stuff. I'm just happy to be picked and selected in this Australian team and to play for the green and gold.

"If that happens to come down the track then so be it. You definitely dream of representing your state and obviously to play for your country – to think about captaining it, it's a whole different thing.

"It's pretty surreal but something to be proud of."

Australia were well below their best in Suva on Saturday, but still proved far too strong for Papua New Guinea and Fiji in the first international Tri-Nations match of its kind.

All three sides played 40 minutes against each other, with the Kangaroos downing PNG 20-4 before notching an 18-0 win over the home nation.

(This story first appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald)