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Cooper Cronk is set to capitalise on a new deal tied to the expected broadcast rights deal. - Source: Getty -
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Kangaroos coach Tim Sheens says form and tactics and not a
possible switch of codes are behind Israel Folau's omission from
the Australian side for Friday night's rugby league Test against
New Zealand.
Folau was overlooked for the AAMI Park, Melbourne encounter
with 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.
It was believed Folau's reluctance to confirm his future to rugby
league would hurt his chances at the selection table, but Sheens
said the selection of Lyon was purely football based.
"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.
Australia: Billy Slater, Brett Morris, Greg
Inglis, Jamie Lyon, Jarryd Hayne, Darren Lockyer (capt), Cooper
Cronk, Petero Civoniceva, Cameron Smith, David Shillington, Luke
Lewis, Sam Thaiday, Paul Gallen. Interchange: Kurt Gidley, Josh
Perry, Anthony Watmough, Michael Weyman
New Zealand have named an 18-man squad.
