Penrith Panthers forward Trent Waterhouse has been handed a shock international recall by Australia for the Four Nations tournament.
Panthers ace back after four years in the international wilderness
Penrith Panthers forward Trent Waterhouse has been handed a shock international recall by Australia for the Four Nations tournament.
Waterhouse, who was sent off in match three of the 2009 State of Origin, has not played for the Kangaroos since winning the last of his 10 caps in 2005
The 28-year-old, though, is one of five players set to return to the international fold for the tournament against England, France and New Zealand.
Parramatta duo Jarryd Hayne and Nathan Hindmarsh and Melbourne pair Cooper Cronk and Ryan Hoffman are also recalled by coach Tim Sheens.
Hayne played one Test two years ago, before representing Fiji at the World Cup - however his fine form has earned him a place in the 24-man squad.
Hindmarsh has also gone two years without a Test appearance but he will delay shoulder surgery to play, while Cronk and Hoffman will look to earn their second and third caps respectively.
Rookies
Australia are without veteran Steve Price, Luke Bailey and Brett Stewart because of injury, while Anthony Laffranchi, Glenn Stewart and Brent Kite have all been omitted from the team that beat New Zealand in the Anzac Test in May.
Sheens, though, has called in rookies Brett White, Robbie Farah, Ben Hannant, Michael Jennings, Luke Lewis, Josh Morris and David Shillington, but his squad contains no players from St George Illawarra.
Israel Folau, Anthony Watmough, Luke Lewis, Kurt Gidley, Petero Civoniceva and Ben Hannant are all carrying knocks - and Sheens insists they have to prove their fitness ahead of the squad's departure on October 16.
"It is a side picked on recent form," said Sheens.
"There are some issues and quite a number of players still in doubt. If you cannot run and complete training then we have to think about it. We cannot add to that squad after we leave."
Australia: Petero Civoniceva (Panthers), Cooper Cronk (Storm), Robbie Farah (Wests Tigers), Israel Folau (Broncos), Paul Gallen (Sharks), Kurt Gidley (Knights), Ben Hannant (Bulldogs), Jarryd Hayne (Eels), Nathan Hindmarsh (Eels), Justin Hodges (Broncos), Ryan Hoffman (Storm), Greg Inglis (Storm), Michael Jennings (Panthers), Darren Lockyer (c, Broncos), Luke Lewis (Panthers), Josh Morris (Bulldogs), David Shillington (Raiders), Billy Slater (Storm), Cam Smith (Storm), Sam Thaiday (Broncos), Johnathan Thurston (Cowboys), Trent Waterhouse (Panthers), Anthony Watmough (Sea Eagles), Brett White (Storm).
