Eleven uncapped players have made a preliminary 46-man Kangaroos squad for the Rugby League World Cup, to be held from late October.
Along with experienced campaigners like captain Darren Lockyer and the Warriors' Steve Price, Australian selectors sprung some surprise selections such as Penrith youngster Michael Jennings and Dragons prop Justin Poore.
Other non-capped players in the squad are Ben Cross (Newcastle), Robbie Farah (Wests Tigers), Anthony Laffranchi (Gold Coast), Joel Monaghan (Canberra), Nate Myles (Roosters), Anthony Quinn (Melbourne) and the Manly trio Josh Perry, Glenn Stewart and Anthony Watmough.
Melbourne's Cooper Cronk, Gold Coast's Scott Prince and South Sydney's Craig Wing are named as back-up halfbacks to Thurston.
Michael Crocker and Danny Buderus were also named despite defecting to play rugby league in England, but French rugby-bound centre Mark Gasnier was not included.
Australia's World Cup campaign begins against New Zealand in Sydney on October 26.
Squad: Braith Anasta, Greg Bird, Danny Buderus, Petero Civoniceva, Matt Cooper, Ben Creagh, Michael Crocker, Cooper Cronk, Ben Cross, Robbie Farah, Craig Fitzgibbon, Israel Folau, Paul Gallen, Kurt Gidley, Jarryd Hayne, Justin Hodges, Ryan Hoffman, Karmichael Hunt, Greg Inglis, Michael Jennings, Dallas Johnson, Brent Kite, Anthony Laffranchi, Darren Lockyer, Willie Mason, Joel Monaghan, Nate Myles, Luke O'Donnell, Josh Perry, Justin Poore, Steve Price, Scott Prince, Anthony Quinn, Steve Simpson, Billy Slater, Cameron Smith, Brett Stewart, Glenn Stewart, Brent Tate, Sam Thaiday, Johnathan Thurston, Anthony Tupou, Anthony Watmough, Carl Webb, Brett White, Craig Wing.
