Talty's maternal grandmother, born in England and raised in Staffordshire, had recently celebrated her 95th birthday when he shared news of his selection.
The Brisbane Broncos forward will represent her home nation in the 2026 Rugby League World Cup after making England's final 23.
He had earlier been named in the wider squad.
Talty's rapid rise began with North Sydney Bears in 2024, followed by his NRL debut for Brisbane in 2025.
He credited Broncos coach Michael Maguire with helping him develop and handle difficult periods.
"He has helped me a lot with my football and get through tough times, especially when we weren't performing that well at the back end of the year."
Talty also compared Brian McDermott's coaching style with Maguire's. He will reconnect with McDermott, who guided him early in his NRL career at Newcastle Knights.
Talty described selection as a chance to repay his parents for supporting his junior career, including driving him to Newcastle training three times a week.