BEN Currie believes he can use his injury-shortened season to his advantage to help England at the Rugby League World Cup.

A serious knee injury sustained last September wiped out most of the Wolves star’s 2017 and, two games after his return, he suffered another injury to the same knee.

However, he returned to play 80 minutes in The Wire’s final two Middle 8s games of the season and is one of two uncapped players named in Wayne Bennett’s 24-man travelling party.

Currie has played only four games this season but believes that could work in his favour.

“I’ll be a big ball of energy out there!” the 22-year-old said.

“Quite a lot of these guys have played 30-odd games this year and they’re all bashed up and bruised, but I’m feeling fresh and ready to go.

“It was one of my targets to get back for the back end of the year. I thought we’d be fighting for silverware, but it didn’t turn out that way.

“The other one was, because I missed my chance last year with the injury, to get picked for England.

“I had a chat with Tony Smith and he knew I needed to play in order to be in with a chance of getting picked.

“He was happy to start me and leave me on no matter how tired I got!”

Before he picked up his horrific injury in the Super 8s game against Wigan on September 15 last year, Currie looked to be a dead cert to make his England debut in the season-ending Four Nations.

He was also absent for the mid-season Test victory over Samoa in Sydney but has been present at meetings of the Elite Performance Squad.

The second-rower says he was “over the moon” to get the call-up.

“They’ve shown some great faith in me,” he said.

“Throughout the year, the guys from England have kept in touch with me and included me in the squad meet-ups.

“I had little chats with Wayne, he just told me to get myself fit.

“I was just desperate to show I was fit and that I could play and thankfully I got that chance in the last couple of games for Warrington.

“I set a goal to make the squad at the beginning of the year, but now I’ve achieved it I’m absolutely over the moon.”

Of the 24-man squad, only Currie and St Helens prop Alex Walmsley are yet to make their England debuts.

For the Wolves man, his aim for the tournament in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea is simple.

“The main target is just to get a game, having not made my debut yet,” he said.

“I think getting on the field will be an achievement in itself.

“I’ll be happy to play wherever, either starting or on the bench. I just want to get out there and play.”