Despite being born and bred in the country, Lyons made the first of three appearances for City Origin in 1988 in the annual City vs Country Origin game. He appeared in two games of the 1988 State of Origin series, vying for the five-eighth position with Terry Lamb. At the end of the 1988 NSWRL season, Lyons made his international début when he was selected on the bench for a Rest of the World team that narrowly lost 30–28 to Great Britain at Headingley in Leeds, England. Joining Lyons in the side were his Manly teammates Dale Shearer (), Michael O'Connor () and Noel "Crusher" Cleal (Second-row), as well as fellow Australians Steve Ella (5/8), Allan Langer () and Sam Backo (). During the 1988–89 Rugby Football League season Lyons played at , and was awarded the White Rose Trophy as man of the match in Leeds' 33–12 victory over Castleford in the 1988 Yorkshire Cup Final at Elland Road, Leeds on Sunday 16 October 1988.
