The 21-year-old striker is among 18 players bound for Singapore and Malaysia as part of a 14-day tour with the Australian Country representative squad.

His selection came on the back of eye-catching displays at the Australian Country Hockey Championships at Toowoomba in August last year.

He is one of only two Victorians in the squad — his Altona Hockey Club teammate Benn Henderson is the other — under coach Robert Laffin.

Rout, an exercise and sport science student at Federation University, said he was excited about the trip. The squad leaves Australia tomorrow. 

“I’m looking forward to it. I’m shocked to be in the side, I guess it’s an honour,” he said.

“It’s 14 days for nine games across Singapore and a few different cities in Malaysia.”

He was unsure what sides they were up against but knew they were high-performance combinations.

Rout said he was not confident he would earn selection in the open-age ranks after helping Victoria finish third at Toowoomba.

“I must have played pretty well. I trialled for the under 21 side but I was lucky to be promoted to the senior side,” he said.

He hopes to “learn as much as I can” during the whirlwind trip, which he described as a stepping stone.

“The ultimate goal at the moment is to make a Victorian squad some time in the future and continue to play at the highest level I can for a long time,” he said.

Upon his return, Rout will return to his commitments with Hockey Victoria Premier League club Altona. The new season starts on April 18.

He is entering his third season with the Seagulls, having spent two with Ballarat-based club WestVic following a junior career in Warrnambool.

“After finishing fourth last year we’re hoping to at least make finals again,” he said.

Rout follows in the footsteps of another WDHA export, Emily Lanman, who has earned three Australian Country senior call-ups, in 2011, 2013 and 2014.

Two others have represented Australian Country’s under 21 squad at the biennial Oceania Pacific Cup — Matthew Huf in 2014 and Phoebe Webb in 2012.