League: Sheens summons Aussies' big guns

Kangaroos captain Darren Lockyer will make a return to the starting lineup for this weekend's Four Nations final. Photo / Getty Images

Both the Kiwis and Kangaroos have made predictable moves ahead of Saturday night's Four Nations final.

While Roos coach Tim Sheens has recalled his big guns Darren Lockyer and Billy Slater with second rower Luke Lewis - and put his bench on notice that places are up for grabs - Kiwis counterpart Stephen Kearney has played pretty much the only cards available to him.

Kearney has reinstated reliable Raiders back rower Bronson Harrison and brought in impressive young prop Sam McKendry to bolster his bench.

Frank Pritchard - close to the Kiwis' best in Saturday night's grim Eden Park defeat - hasn't recovered from the knee injury that forced his early departure in Auckland, and Sika Manu has been relegated to a squad number outside of the top 17.

After a less than impressive outing in Auckland, prop Frank-Paul Nuuausala drops to the bench, with Greg Eastwood coming into the starting line-up.

Like Sheens, Kearney has named a seven-man bench, although so far in the tournament his match-day squad has always been the first 17 names listed early in the week.

If he sticks to that formula, the 115kg, 21-year-old rookie McKendry will play. A late call-up for Fuifui Moimoi, the Penrith prop made his test debut against Papua New Guinea in Rotorua.

"We haven't made our minds up exactly what we are going to do there," Kearney said of McKendry's prospects. "He'd be a good chance."

McKendry's impressive size would help counteract the likes of Kangaroos giants David Shillington and Tom Learoyd Lahrs, who both stand around 1.94m and weigh in at well over 110kg.

A glaring difference in ruck speed was a key contributor to the Kiwis' defeat in Auckland, however Kearney said McKendry wouldn't be selected specifically to help solve that problem.

"I don't think they earned that right [to play the ball quicker] through their big guys, they earned it because we defended poorly," Kearney said.

"The guys who started on Saturday night, I know they can all tackle, that's not an issue. But it just wasn't good enough, it wasn't up to standard.

"Defence always has been and always will be about attitude. For whatever reasons the lads weren't quite up to it on Saturday."

Aside from Manu, Kearney's other listed bench options include Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, who played only against Papua New Guinea, and Lewis Brown, who hasn't played at all.

Kearney named an unchanged backline, retaining wing Sam Perrett despite his defensive struggles against Brent Tate.

Barring the starting props the Australia team is the same 13 that began their two opening pool matches. Shillington and Matthew Scott, who was making his test debut, have both been rewarded with starts in the final after strong performances at Eden Park.

Lockyer and Slater were both rested for the Auckland match, while Lewis has recovered from the calf strain he suffered in his two-try effort against England 10 days ago.

The Kangaroos' bench includes veteran prop Petero Civoniceva, Raiders forward Learoyd-Lahrs and Titans hard man Greg Bird. Kurt Gidley appears to have the inside running for the bench utility spot, while Nate Myles, Darius Boyd and Anthony Watmough are also in the mix after Sheens told his side that performance at training this week would be a factor in the final makeup of his bench.

There was no place in the squad for international player of the year Todd Carney and fellow Auckland debutants Chris Lawrence and Dean Young.
KANGAROOS
Brett Morris
Brent Tate
Willie Tonga
Lote Tuqiri
Darren Lockyer (c)
Cooper Cronk
Matthew Scott
Cameron Smith
David Shillington
Luke Lewis
Sam Thaiday
Paul Gallen

KIWIS

Lance Hohaia
Jason Nightingale
S. Kenny-Dowall
Junior Sa'u
Sam Perrett
Benji Marshall (c)
Nathan Fien
Greg Eastwood
Thomas Leuluai
Adam Blair
Bronson Harrison
Simon Mannering
Jeremy Smith

Australia (from): Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Petero Civoniceva, Greg Bird, Kurt Gidley, Nate Myles, Anthony Watmough, Darius Boyd

NZ (from): Issac Luke, Ben Matulino, Frank-Paul Nuuausala, Sam McKendry, Sika Manu, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Lewis Brown

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Saturday 10.15pm (NZ time) Billy Slater