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Fuifui Moimoi - Source: Photosport -
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An injury-hit Kiwis have assembled in Melbourne with three uncapped players while all the talk around the Kangaroos was their omission of gamebreaker Israel Folau for Friday's Anzac league Test.
Brisbane Broncos utility Alex Glenn, New Zealand Warriors hooker Aaron Heremaia and Newcastle back rower Zeb Taia were named in an 18-man squad among the core of last year's Four Nations lineup ahead of today's opening training session.
The injured brigade is an impressive list of league talent: Manu Vatuvei, Simon Mannering, Roy Asotasi, Jeremy Smith and Dene Halatau, while two other frontliners Frank Pritchard and Fuifui Moimoi were deemed unavailable after the weekend's NRL round.
Pritchard suffered a groin strain in the pre-match warmups for Penrith on the Gold Coast while Parramatta's Moimoi might already have been in doubt after being placed on report for a high tackle on the Bulldogs' Blake Green.
Auckland-born Glenn, 21, was brought in as cover for last year's Anzac Test in Brisbane while Taia was in contention for the Four Nations squad before being ruled out through injury.
"Zeb was a real chance for the Four Nations last year and Alex was also in the mix," coach Steve Kearney said.
"The big mover has been Aaron who has really impressed us with his form for the Warriors this season."
There were also international recalls for 2008 World Cup winners Sika Manu - although the second rower is yet to play for the Melbourne Storm this season - and in-form Warriors prop Sam Rapira.
The duo missed last year's disappointing Four Nations campaign in the UK due to injury.
Kangaroos coach Tim Sheens said form and tactics and not a possible switch of codes were behind Folau's omission as the selectors opting for Manly skipper Jamie Lyon to partner Greg Inglis in the centres.
Melbourne playmaker Cooper Cronk won a Test recall after halfback Johnathan Thurston was ruled out with a shoulder injury.
Folau's future in rugby league was thrown into doubt last week when he failed to take up an option for another two years with NRL side Brisbane, the 21-year-old now believed to be weighing up massive offers from both rugby union and AFL.
"Jamie's a specialist right-side player and we were looking for a specialist, he's also a specialist centre and a goalkicker and without Jonathan that's going to be an issue for us," Sheens said.
"(Folau) was considered. He's only been back (from injury) a while and he's not a specialist centre, he's played a lot of wing."
Selectors stuck largely with the squad which took out last year's Four Nations tournament, with 12 members of the side which trounced England in the final retained.
The only debutant in the side is St George Illawarra prop Michael Weyman, joining Lyon, Cronk, David Shillington and Josh Perry in coming into the team from outside the Four Nations squad.
The world champion Kiwis drew their last Test with the Kangaroos 20-20 last October in London, but the one-off Anzac international is traditionally Australia's domain.
Since the inaugural Anzac Test was held in 1997, the Kiwis have one just one of the 10 contests - 22-16 at North Harbour Stadium, the only time the match has been played in New Zealand.
