Ten newcomers in Kangaroos' Four Nations squad

14 October 2014 02:16

Newcastle teenager Sione Mata'utia and South Sydney grand final heroes Alex Johnston and Dylan Walker were among 10 newcomers named in Australia's 24-man squad Tuesday for this month's Four Nations rugby league tournament.

The Kangaroos have been weakened by injuries to leading players and coach Tim Sheens ushered in some of the National Rugby League's exciting young stars for the tournament in Australia and New Zealand.

Mata'utia, 18, has played just seven NRL games after debuting for the Knights in July and if he starts he will become the youngest Test player in Australian rugby league history.

Johnston had a spectacular rookie season, scoring 21 tries in 18 games, including the opening try in the Rabbitohs' title drought-breaking 30-6 grand final victory over Canterbury this month.

Rabbitohs team-mate Walker also earned a berth in the squad along with Canterbury forwards David Klemmer and Josh Jackson, Brisbane Broncos scrum-half Ben Hunt and Penrith back Josh Mansour.

The squad, led by skipper Cameron Smith, has plenty of rookies following the injury-enforced withdrawal of some of the biggest stars in the game, among them Jonathan Thurston and Billy Slater, while New South Wales skipper Paul Gallen is serving a drug ban.

Australia kick off their Four Nations campaign against New Zealand in Brisbane on October 25, with England also facing Samoa on the same double-header bill.

The Kangaroos then play England in Melbourne on November 2 and Samoa in Wollongong on November 9.

The final of the four-week tournament will be held in Wellington on November 15.

Australia - Greg Bird (Gold Coast Titans), Daly Cherry-Evans (Manly Sea Eagles), Boyd Cordner (Sydney Roosters), Cooper Cronk (Melbourne Storm), Robbie Farah (Wests Tigers), Aidan Guerra (Sydney Roosters), Jarryd Hayne (Parramatta Eels), Ryan Hoffman (Melbourne Storm), Ben Hunt (Brisbane Broncos), Greg Inglis (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Josh Jackson (Canterbury Bulldogs), Michael Jennings (Sydney Roosters), Alex Johnston (South Sydney Rabbitohs), David Klemmer (Canterbury Bulldogs), Josh Mansour (Penrith Panthers), Sione Mata'utia (Newcastle Knights), Josh Papalii (Canberra Raiders), Corey Parker (Brisbane Broncos), Beau Scott (Newcastle Knights), Cameron Smith (capt - Melbourne Storm), Sam Thaiday (Brisbane Broncos), Daniel Tupou (Sydney Roosters), Dylan Walker (South Sydney Rabbitohs), Aaron Woods (Wests Tigers).

Source: AFP