Tyson Frizell named in Australia squad for Four Nations
Tuesday 4 October 2016 07:22, UK
Wales international Tyson Frizell is one of seven uncapped players in Australia's squad for the 2016 Four Nations Series in England.
The 24-year-old St George Illawarra second rower earned a place in coach Mal Meninga's 24-strong travelling party on the back of an impressive State of Origin debut for New South Wales earlier this year.
Frizell, who has a Welsh father and a Tongan mother, played for Wales in the 2011 Four Nations Series as well as the 2013 World Cup and will be a major loss to John Kear's team as they bid to qualify for the 2017 World Cup later this month.
Shannon Boyd, Jake Friend, Valentine Holmes, James Maloney, Matt Moylan and Justin O'Neill are the other new faces, while notable absentees are former Fiji international Semi Radradra and forward Andrew Fifita, who scored Cronulla's match-winning try in their Grand Final win over Melbourne on Sunday.
Fifita is under investigation by the NRL Integrity Unit over his relationship with an alleged criminal, while Radradra, who made his debut for Australia against New Zealand in May, is facing charges over domestic violence allegations.
NRL chief executive odd Greenberg said: "In Semi's case, while he has pleaded not guilty, he has charges to answer at the end of the tournament.
"We don't want either him or the team to be distracted by this matter and have decided he will not be eligible for selection on this occasion.
"In Andrew's case, selection for the Australian team requires standards on and off the field and as he is currently under investigation by the Integrity Unit, we believe he still has some way to go to meet those off field standards."
The Kangaroos will play the Kiwis in Perth on Saturday week before leaving for England.
"This is a new era for the Kangaroos and the squad which has been selected for the Four Nations tournament reflects that," Meninga said.
"This squad has been selected for the present, but with an eye to the future."
Australia squad: Cameron Smith (Melbourne, capt), Darius Boyd (Brisbane), Shannon Boyd (Canberra), Boyd Cordner (Sydney Roosters), Cooper Cronk (Melbourne), Josh Dugan (St George Illawarra), Blake Ferguson (Sydney Roosters), Jake Friend (Sydney Roosters), Tyson Frizell (St George Illawarra), Matt Gillett (Brisbane), Valentine Holmes (Cronulla), Greg Inglis (South Sydney), David Klemmer (Canterbury Bulldogs), James Maloney (Cronulla), Josh Mansour (Penrith), Trent Merrin (Penrith), Michael Morgan (North Queensland), Matt Moylan (Penrith), Justin O'Neill (North Queensland), Josh Papalii (Canberra), Matt Scott (North Queensland), Sam Thaiday (Brisbane), Johnathan Thurston (North Queensland), Aaron Woods (Wests Tigers).
