Rugby League: Ankle sidelines Jones for Australia test

By PETER JESSUP

Stacey Jones is out of the test against Australia at Albany this month.

He is one of several injury-enforced withdrawals from the Kiwis.

Jones needs surgery on an ankle injury and will require six to eight weeks to recover.

He played with the injury against Penrith last Sunday.

It is still unclear whether he also needs surgery on the groin muscle tear that has bothered him for the second half of the season or if that will repair with rest.

Also out of consideration for the October 18 game is Storm captain and secondrower Stephen Kearney, who does require groin surgery.

"He has been playing through the season with an injury that would put most people out of the game," coach Daniel Anderson said today.

Anderson will also have to do without Broncos hooker Richard Swain, who is having elbow surgery, and Cowboys prop Paul Rauhihi, who has damage to both knees.

Parramatta centre David Vaealiki has a badly strained hamstring and is unlikely to be chosen because of lack of match fitness.

The injury toll compounds the selection problem at fullback and in the halves.

Anderson cannot determine his starting 17 until the finalists have been decided for the Super League competiton in England.

The final is being played the same weekend as the test.

If Bradford miss out, several of their players - Robbie Paul, Joe Vagana, Tevita Vaikona and Shontayne Hape - will come into the picture. But if the club is in the final, it won't release them.

Anderson and fellow selectors Tony Kemp and Brent Todd will name a train-on squad on Monday, then finalise the playing team after the Super League finals teams are determined and the NRL grand final is over this weekend.

About the only consolation on the injury front is that the Australians are in worse condition. Ruled out are halfback Andrew Johns and Newcastle team-mates wing Timana Tahu and centre Matt Gidley, Parramatta centre Jamie Lyon, Dragons props Jason Ryles and Luke Bailey, and five-eighths Trent Barrett and Shaun Timmins, Cowboys centre Josh Hannay, and Souths captain and secondrower Bryan Fletcher.

Petero Civoniceva is suspended after an offence in the Broncos' last NRL round-robin game.

The Broncos' Gorden Tallis also tonight announced his retirement from representative football, saying his body was no longer up to it.

The Kangaroos have named a train-on squad and will conduct fitness tests on Monday, at which others are likely to be ruled out.

These include Broncos centre Brent Tate, Newcastle secondrower Ben Kennedy, and Dragons centre Mark Gasnier.

Kangaroos squad: Robbie Kearns, Matt Orford, Matt Geyer (Storm), Luke Davico, Ryan O'Hara (Raiders), Brent Tate, Darren Lockyer, Michael De Vere, Dane Carlaw, Shane Webcke, Shaun Berrigan, Petero Civoniceva (Broncos), Steve Menzies (Manly), John Skandalis (Tigers), Nathan Hindmarsh (Eels), Richard Villasanti (Warriors), Steve Price, Willie Mason, Hazem El Masri, Brent Sherwin, Mark O'Meley (Bulldogs), Matt Sing (Cowboys), Steve Simpson, Danny Buderus, Ben Kennedy, (Newcastle), Mark Gasnier (Dragons), Brett Kimmorley, Phil Bailey (Sharks).