WITH three top-line centres now unavailable, Australian selectors may yet consider choosing Manly's Grand Final star Jamie Lyon.
The latest three-quarter to be ruled out of the Kangaroos World Cup squad was St George Illawarra's Matt Cooper, who has a groin injury.
Cooper was ready to replace injured Bronco Justin Hodges, who withdrew on Tuesday. Mark Gasnier is playing French rugby union.
Selectors will not consider Manly's Steve Bell, who is off to Super League in England, while Penrith's Michael Jennings has pledged his allegiance to Tonga and Jarryd Hayne to Fiji.
Lyon made himself unavailable for NSW in this year's State of Origin series - a decision which disappointed Blues selectors. Selectors may refuse to consider Lyon after the Origin drama but he is still very much available, according to ARL chief executive Geoff Carr.
"Jamie Lyon has never become unavailable,'' Carr said. "Jamie has never made an application (to be exempt). He made it clear through Origin, but through the media.
"For a player to get exemption, he has to apply before the first representative match of a season and give his reasons for the ARL to consider. Jamie has not done that.''
Lyon could not be contacted yesterday afternoon. Selectors are due to announce Hodges' replacement today.
To retain their squad's balance, selectors are ready to replace a centre with another centre - making Karmichael Hunt's bid all the more difficult. But Hunt, overlooked for the original squad, has been mentioned despite his alleged involvement in a sexual assault in Brisbane last month.
Australian selector Bob McCarthy said our depth was being tested.
"With Mark Gasnier gone to rugby union, the loss of Justin Hodges leave a big hole,'' McCarthy said. "In my opinion, Hodges is the best centre in the game. To lose a player of his ability really hurts you. We have lost both centres from that Cententary Test.
"We have depth but it is starting to erode. Michael Crocker has gone, Willie Mason, Greg Bird ... there's five or six gone from that team. Ricky (Stuart, coach) now needs to start working on new combinations. That is why we chose so many Manly players.''
Australia, the overwhelming World Cup favourites, will go into camp in Coogee on Saturday.
The latest three-quarter to be ruled out of the Kangaroos World Cup squad was St George Illawarra's Matt Cooper, who has a groin injury.
Cooper was ready to replace injured Bronco Justin Hodges, who withdrew on Tuesday. Mark Gasnier is playing French rugby union.
Selectors will not consider Manly's Steve Bell, who is off to Super League in England, while Penrith's Michael Jennings has pledged his allegiance to Tonga and Jarryd Hayne to Fiji.
Lyon made himself unavailable for NSW in this year's State of Origin series - a decision which disappointed Blues selectors. Selectors may refuse to consider Lyon after the Origin drama but he is still very much available, according to ARL chief executive Geoff Carr.
"Jamie Lyon has never become unavailable,'' Carr said. "Jamie has never made an application (to be exempt). He made it clear through Origin, but through the media.
"For a player to get exemption, he has to apply before the first representative match of a season and give his reasons for the ARL to consider. Jamie has not done that.''
Lyon could not be contacted yesterday afternoon. Selectors are due to announce Hodges' replacement today.
To retain their squad's balance, selectors are ready to replace a centre with another centre - making Karmichael Hunt's bid all the more difficult. But Hunt, overlooked for the original squad, has been mentioned despite his alleged involvement in a sexual assault in Brisbane last month.
Australian selector Bob McCarthy said our depth was being tested.
"With Mark Gasnier gone to rugby union, the loss of Justin Hodges leave a big hole,'' McCarthy said. "In my opinion, Hodges is the best centre in the game. To lose a player of his ability really hurts you. We have lost both centres from that Cententary Test.
"We have depth but it is starting to erode. Michael Crocker has gone, Willie Mason, Greg Bird ... there's five or six gone from that team. Ricky (Stuart, coach) now needs to start working on new combinations. That is why we chose so many Manly players.''
Australia, the overwhelming World Cup favourites, will go into camp in Coogee on Saturday.
