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Dally M medallist Todd Carney will be Australia's back-up half for the Four Nations rugby league tournament beginning later this month after Gold Coast captain Scott Prince was overlooked.
The Sydney Roosters five-eighth will, however, need to prove his fitness after suffering a knee injury in Sunday night's 32-8 grand final loss to St George Illawarra.
Early indications are Carney has a posterior cruciate ligament problem which would prevent him running for two weeks.
He is due to have an MRI scan later on Monday to determine the full extent of the injury.
Prince has been left out of the 24-man squad, with captain Darren Lockyer, incumbent halfback Cooper Cronk and Newcastle utility Kurt Gidley the other halves available to coach Tim Sheens.
Regular Test No.7 Johnathan Thurston has been ruled out of the tournament with an ankle injury.
St George Illawarra forward Dean Young is the big winner from Sunday night's drought-breaking grand final victory, joining Clive Churchill medallist Darius Boyd and clubmate Brett Morris as the Dragons' contingent.
Forward Nate Myles joins Carney as the only two Roosters in the squad.
Australia were forced to look outside the square with a wealth of talent unavailable for the tournament with injury, including centres Greg Inglis, Justin Hodges, Michael Jennings and Jamie Lyon.
"It's going to be a very big test for the Australian side this year given the injury list," Sheens said.
"The depth of the NRL will be tested big-time."
The Kangaroos play their first match against Papua New Guinea on October 24 at Parramatta Stadium before Tests against England in Melbourne on October 31 and New Zealand in Auckland on November 6.
The Sydney Roosters five-eighth will, however, need to prove his fitness after suffering a knee injury in Sunday night's 32-8 grand final loss to St George Illawarra.
Early indications are Carney has a posterior cruciate ligament problem which would prevent him running for two weeks.
He is due to have an MRI scan later on Monday to determine the full extent of the injury.
Prince has been left out of the 24-man squad, with captain Darren Lockyer, incumbent halfback Cooper Cronk and Newcastle utility Kurt Gidley the other halves available to coach Tim Sheens.
Regular Test No.7 Johnathan Thurston has been ruled out of the tournament with an ankle injury.
St George Illawarra forward Dean Young is the big winner from Sunday night's drought-breaking grand final victory, joining Clive Churchill medallist Darius Boyd and clubmate Brett Morris as the Dragons' contingent.
Forward Nate Myles joins Carney as the only two Roosters in the squad.
Australia were forced to look outside the square with a wealth of talent unavailable for the tournament with injury, including centres Greg Inglis, Justin Hodges, Michael Jennings and Jamie Lyon.
"It's going to be a very big test for the Australian side this year given the injury list," Sheens said.
"The depth of the NRL will be tested big-time."
The Kangaroos play their first match against Papua New Guinea on October 24 at Parramatta Stadium before Tests against England in Melbourne on October 31 and New Zealand in Auckland on November 6.
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