Injured duo Greg Inglis and Josh Morris have been named in Australia’s Four Nations train-on squad despite already having ruled themselves out of the tournament.
Inglis and Morris are both booked in for shoulder surgery but that didn’t stop selectors naming them alongside fellow injured stars Darren Lockyer (ribs) and Johnathan Thurston (foot).
The Queensland pair are expected to be fit after sitting out the end of the NRL season.
Eighteen players have been chosen in the train-on squad from teams not involved in the finals series.
Each club is represented with further players to be added as sides drop out of the premiership race.
The Storm and Canterbury have the biggest representations, with four players from each club picked.
The squad will assemble for the first time on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, impressive Brisbane rookies Matt Gillett, Andrew McCullough and Jharal Yow Yeh head the list of players nominated for the Prime Minister’s XIII train-on squad.
Newcastle excitement machine Akulia Uate and South Sydney speedster Nathan Merritt have also been included. The PM’s side meets PNG later this month.
The Kangaroos’ train-on squad is: Darren Lockyer, Sam Thaiday (Brisbane), Michael Ennis, Ben Hannant, Jamal Idris, Josh Morris (Canterbury), Paul Gallen (Cronulla), Cooper Cronk, Greg Inglis, Billy Slater, Cameron Smith (Melbourne), Kurt Gidley (Newcastle), Matt Scott, Johnathan Thurston, Willie Tonga (North Queensland), Jarryd Hayne, Timana Tahu (Parramatta), David Taylor (Souths).
PMs XIII: Matt Gillett, Andrew McCullough, Corey Parker, Jharal Yow Yeh (Brisbane), Brett Kimmorley (Canterbury), Luke Douglas, Blake Ferguson, Kade Snowden (Cronulla), Jarrod Mullen, Akulia Uate (Newcastle), Tim Mannah, Ben Smith (Parramatta), Michael Crocker, Ben Lowe, Nathan Merritt (Souths).