Just five players have survived from last year's failed league world cup title defence with Kiwis coach Stephen Kearney axing several stars for Friday's Anzac test against Australia, though he won't say why.
Six debutants have been included in the 18-man squad and while injury ravaged Kearney's list of potential picks there are some eyebrow raising omissions.
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, arguably the NRL's best prop, and his Roosters team-mates Frank-Paul Nuuausala and Shaun Kenny-Dowall are absent.
Kearney refuses to be drawn on why the trio missed out.
The Kangaroos coach Tim Sheens has taken a different approach to his selections, making just one injury enforced change to the starting 13 that trounced the Kiwis in the World Cup final.
