The numbers might be nonflexible to recognise but what is not in question is the strength of the team Mal Meninga has chosen to unshut the Kangaroos World Cup campaign.
Despite resting the five squad members involved in the NRL Grand Final, the tournament favourites have still been worldly-wise to signify a 17-man line-up to squatter Fiji filled with wall-to-wall talent.
As expected, Daly Cherry-Evans will be given first one-liner at the halfback jersey in his wrestle with Nathan Cleary to be Cameron Munsters halves partner at the pointy end of the tournament.
James Tedesco will lead a side that all has State of Origin wits with seven debutants in the new-look team compared to the last time Australia played a Test nearly three years ago versus Tonga.
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There are seven debutants – winger Murray Taulagi, prop Tino Faasuamaleaui and second-rowers Angus Crichton and Jeremiah Nanai in the run-on side with three increasingly on the interchange in Reuben Cotter, Patrick Carrigan and Harry Grant.
Daly Cherry-Evans. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
The Australian players are wearing squad numbers on their jerseys throughout the tournament based on when they made their Test debut. Tedesco at fullback, Valentine Holmes, wearing No.4 in the centres, and seat forward Reuben Cotter (No.16) are in numbers traditionally associated with their roles this weekend.
Cleary and Panthers teammates Isaah Yeo and Liam Martin, withal with Eels prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard have been rested due to the fact they played right throughout the NRL finals series.
Campbell-Gillard, who qualified through his mothers Fijian heritage, represented the Pacific nation twice at Test level in 2014 but will not have to line up versus them this weekend.
RCG and Holmes are the only two players who remain from the Australian team which won the World Cup in 2017 with a 6-0 triumph over England in the final at Brisbane.
Roosters front-rower Lindsay Collins was unavailable as he serves the final match of his four-game hip waif ban from the penultimate round of the regular season. The Prime Ministers XIII match was counted as part of his suspension.
International rookies Matt Burton and Campbell Graham have been named as the two reserves in the 19-man match-day squad and will likely get their Test debut next week in the group game versus Scotland at Coventry.
“It’s a really inexperienced team,” Hunt, one of just two Kangaroos older than 30, told AAP.
“We all got our kit and I was listed at number three (in terms of Tests played), which was kind of surprising to be honest.
“I’ve only won six or seven caps, but that’s what’s heady well-nigh this group – there’s a lot of youth and guys who are eager to please.
“It shows there’s a lot of unconfined young talent in Australia.”
(Photo by Karl Bridgeman/Getty Images for Rugby League World Cup)
The Kangaroos are confident they will have cohesion in their side for the tussle with the world No.6 Bati, who have established NRL stars Viliame Kikau, Api Koroisau, Maika Sivo and Tui Kamikamica in their squad.
Latrell Mitchell and Josh Addo-Carr, who have played plenty of football together at Origin and All Stars level, will team up on one whet with Cowboys duo Valentine Holmes and Murray Taulagi reuniting on the other.
Tedesco will link with the Queensland spine of Cherry-Evans, Munster and Ben Hunt with Maroons star Harry Grant the redundacy hooker off the bench.
Australia will squint to write-up the Fijian behemoths up front with mobility with Faasuamaleaui and Carrigan the only big boppers in the Kangaroos side.
“It’s going to be a rencontre but you’re largest off smiling and getting it washed-up than worrying well-nigh inexperience,” Carrigan told AAP.
“I remember getting up and watching Petero Civoniceva and Shane Webcke going at it with all the Pommy blokes like Adrian Morley (in previous world cups and Test series).
“It’s a massive honour to pull on that jersey and you know you have to leave in it a largest place.
“You know what those unconfined players have washed-up for this jersey in the past and I’m grateful to be here.”
The World Cup kicks off at 12.30am on Sunday (AEDT) with host nation England taking on Samoa at St James Park in Newcastle surpassing the Australa vs Fiji unpeace rounds out the opening day of the month-long tournament.
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Australian line-up to squatter Fiji at KCOM Stadium, Hull on Sunday 5.30am AEDT
1 James Tedesco (captain)
9 Josh Addo-Carr
8 Latrell Mitchell
4 Valentine Holmes
23 Murray Taulagi
7 Cameron Munster
2 Daly Cherry-Evans
18 Tino Faasuamaleaui
3 Ben Hunt
5 Jake Trbojevic
17 Angus Crichton
22 Jeremiah Nanai
11 Cameron Murray
Interchange
10 Jack Wighton
13 Patrick Carrigan
16 Reuben Cotter
20 Harry Grant
Reserves
12 Matt Burton
19 Campbell Graham
Other squad members: 6 Reagan Campbell-Gillard, 14 Nathan Cleary, 15 Lindsay Collins, 21 Liam Martin, 24 Isaah Yeo.
