Australian Indigenous Test stars in Townsville, headlined by Kangaroos debutants on Saturday night, have refused to rule out switching national allegiances one more time under the flexible changes to international rugby league's eligibility criteria.

The ongoing debate on allowing dual nationals to represent multiple countries as long as they were restricted to just one nation in the one calendar year came on the back of those same Australian men's commitment being questioned over not singing the national anthem ahead of the home side's 38-12 win against Samoa.

Before the fallout over a lack of patriotism, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow had first provided all the talk in the stands but out in the middle during the opening Test of this year's Pacific Championships.

The Dolphins NRL fullback scored twice for Australia from the centres against the nation that he already had represented just only last year.

After Samoan-eligible props Payne Haas and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui each crashed over to give to give the home side a strong start, the Cairns-raised junior sealed the fate of the contest with back-to-back Kangaroos tries either side of the interval in the 39th and 54th minutes.

The first of the double came from a cheeky goal-line drop out from under Australia's posts that somehow ended up in the hands of an attacking Tabaui-Fidow, who ran 80 metres while weaving around four chasing Samoan defenders.

The next was a lot less spectacular on the end of quick hands close to the line, but it was tidy enough to impress his former North Queensland club fans to forgive his recent departure to the newest NRL club.

But afterwards the 22-year-old, whose mother was born on the Torres Strait Islands, in a post-match interview was considering possibly honouring his father's Samoan cultural heritage for a second time.

Changes were made following a review in 2020 that players could play for the country of parents or grandparents outside of their birthplace, with the only exception to the rule of a switch was between either Australia, England or New Zealand.

"We'll see later on in the chapter," Tabaui-Fidow told Nine over returning to play for Toa Samoa.

"Just in this comp, I'm playing for the green and gold, but that could change."

That has been a sporting theme for Tabuai-Fidow, who in between playing rugby league was once was invited to join the Gold Coast Suns AFL academy after starring in the 2013 state primary school titles for Cairns before later accepting a rugby union scholarship at Brisbane Grammar School.

Wiradjuri man Kotoni Staggs declined to confirm his desire to add to his three Tests for Tonga that dates back from 2019 until 2022 after the seasoned Brisbane centre also joined Tabaui-Fidow and clubmate Selwyn Cobbo in a maiden Kangaroos appearance.

The broken-hearted grand finalist was quick to move on from the classic Penrith clash a fortnight ago to score with a smile for the 79th minute try courtesy of a well-weighted grubber kick for the corner from halfback Daly Cherry-Evans.

"In the back of my head, it's still good to keep playing footy and take that loss off your mind," Staggs said before changing subjects.

"At the end of the day (representing Tonga), it's always going to be in the back of your head."

That uncertain battle of country versus culture that also includes Fa'asuamaleaui, who has played seven Tests for Australia, stated on Nine he may one day play for the Samoans, added further fuel to the fire of, coincidentally, Manly identities including past Kangaroos hooker Max Krilich, ARL chairman Ken Arthurson and media manager Peter Peters over sticking to traditional Australian rugby league values.

The Sea Eagles trio were scathing of Tabuai-Fidow, Staggs, Cobbo and also Haas for remaining silent during Advance Australia Fair.

TV footage of the national anthem had the four Kangaroos not seen singing the words.

On the night that Australians overwhelmingly voted 'No' in the referendum to Indigenous constitutional change, Krilich was incensed and called on the players to be dropped for Australia's next Test match against New Zealand.

"If you don't to want sing the anthem, then don't play for the Kangaroos," Krilich told News Corp.

"It embarrasses me when they stand there staring like stunned mullets during the national anthem."

Arthurton was more subdued but added the players should show "more respect" for the jersey.

Peters hit out after admiring Samoan teammates perform their ritualistic war dance together while only some Australians displayed national pride in their pre-game activities.

He pointed out coach Mal Meninga, of long-running South Sea Islander ancestry on his father's side, for not pulling his players into line.

"Mal should be strong enough to say, 'Guys, part of playing for Australia is that you sing the national anthem with pride'," Peters said.