Daly Cherry-Evans is likely to miss the second game of the Kangaroos Four Nations quest, with Brisbane halfback Ben Hunt looking likely to debut for Australia at five-eighth.
Both Cherry-Evans and Greg Inglis have been named in the 20-man squad for the match, but on top of his injury, Cherry-Evans has left Kangaroos camp for the birth of his second child today.
Inglis was also suspected to have suffered a repeat of the hip injury that had plagued him throughout the NRL season, and carried a virus into the game that prevented him from taking part in the game in the second half.
England are coming off a close win against Samoa, and will be out to prove a point against an Australian team that still looks to be understrength.
They have named an unchanged team in the lead-up to the match on Sunday.
Another big change for the Aussies will see 18-year-old Sione Mata’utia become the youngest player to debut for Australia, in place of winger Daniel Tupou.
Kangaroos squad named to play England
1. Greg Inglis
2. Josh Mansour
3. Michael Jennings
4. Dylan Walker
5. Sione Mata’utia
6. Daly Cherry-Evans
7. Cooper Cronk
8. Aaron Woods
9. Cameron Smith (c)
10. Sam Thaiday
11. Beau Scott
12. Greg Bird
13. Corey Parker
14. Boyd Cordner
15. Robbie Farah
16. Aidan Guerra
17. Ryan Hoffman
18. Ben Hunt
19. David Klemmer
20. Josh Papalii
England team to play Australia
1. Sam Tomkins (New Zealand Warriors, Wigan St Patricks)
2. Josh Charnley (Wigan Warriors, Wigan St Patricks)
3. Kallum Watkins (Leeds Rhinos, Latchford Albion)
4. Michael Shenton (Castleford Tigers, Upton)
5. Ryan Hall (Leeds Rhinos, Oulton Raiders)
6. Gareth Widdop (St George Illawarra Dragons, King Cross)
7. Matty Smith (Wigan Warriors, Blackbrook)
8. George Burgess (South Sydney Rabbitohs, Dewsbury Moor)
9. Josh Hodgson (Hull KR, East Hull)
10. James Graham (captain) (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Blackbrook)
11. Liam Farrell (Wigan Warriors, Wigan St Patricks)
12. Joel Tomkins (Wigan Warriors, Wigan St Patricks)
13. Joe Westerman (Hull FC, Featherstone Lions)
14. Daryl Clark (Castleford Tigers, Fryston Warriors)
15. Brett Ferres (Huddersfield Giants, Smawthorne Panthers)
16. Tom Burgess (South Sydney Rabbitohs, Dewsbury Moor)
17. Chris Hill (Warrington Wolves, New Spring Lions)
Georgina Brown
Guest
Michel pearce is best half in game at end of season ...daily -evans was terrible during finals and last 6 weeks of season and against new zealand......why is he in team?
Renegade
Guest
Can't argue with that one Jay C... the Sione selection is bizarre to say the least.
Muzz
Guest
I had a fortune teller tell me that Sione is an old soul who'd love nothing more than to represent NSW again.
Tiger
Guest
Sheen's persistence in picking Farah as a utility is bizarre..without Tiger Tim I dare say Robbie wouldn't have played a 'proper' Test for Australia..it's almost laughable.. Maybe he has some special pics of Timmy that Tim doesn't want people to see.. I don't know but it sure is baffling!
Jay C
Roar Guru
Unlike Sione? Who has only slightly more NRL experience than a potato? This is a bizarre chain of though, in this team.
The eye
Guest
Qld TAB disagrees you can get 9.5 start the poms..will you taking a bit of that..unimpressed by what I saw last week..George and James played as noncomittedly as the Aussies..
Renegade
Guest
That's exactly Matt's point.... this isn't an NRL game, the quality is much higher and Milford isn't ready for rep honours yet.
Jay C
Roar Guru
You put your left hand hand, you pull your right leg out and then you turn it all about!
Jay C
Roar Guru
Did you watch him in the last 2 years of NRL?
Bobacat
Guest
Played hooker for the PM's VIII as well?
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Guest
Paul Vaughan from the Raiders should be on the bench or even a starting prop given the lack of grunt upfront against the Kiwis. Vaughan had an outstanding season and always bends the line. The Aussie side also looks seriously thin on talent in the backs. I think it would look stronger with Inglis in the centres (if fit) and Moylan at full back.
Bobacat
Guest
Best utility player in the NRL would be Michael Morgan leaves Moylan for dead in a utility role, he has experience all round the park, can play Fullback, Centre, Winger, 5/8, halfback, lock, second row. Oh' but wait, he is from the Cowboys and is a QLDer so won't be looked at .... NSW space cadets..... was with my mate last week watching the game laughing at the NRL, it has become a joke.
Renegade
Guest
You did say that before the last game too mate.... I'll call it again, massive pressure on our spine.... if they don't fire, we're going to get steamrolled.
Muzz
Guest
It's more fun playing the devils advocate Oust Doust and Sheensy too.
The eye
Guest
One loss and everyone jumps ship...Can totally see where Sheens is coming from..and from what we have available,this is nigh on the best...with the embarrassment of last week and no crucial injuries during the game hanging over them, they'll win..not many true believers out there..cheer up lads,all is not lost..they're foxing..
Judge Holden
Roar Guru
Love Skidds. He's done the job playing for his country before. He'd be a better selection than Farah at any rate.
Buckley
Guest
What id like to see maybe... 1. Greg Inglis 2. Josh Mansor 3. Michael Jennings 4. Matt Moylan 5. Will Chambers 6. Cooper Cronk 7. Mitchell Pearce/Ben Hunt 8. Jacob Lillyman 9. Cameron Smith 10. Aaron Woods 11. Sam Thaiday 12. Greg Bird 13. Corey Parker 14. Ben Hunt/Jamal Idris (if sheens goes with no 'utility' Idris covers second row and centre) 15. Josh Jackson 16. Aiden Guerra 17. Paul Vaughan Lillyman just eats up metres we saw that in Origin this year, I think Vaughan has the size and the footwork to be dangerous of the bench and I think all positions are covered. Chambers and Moylan could always switch around in attack and defence. With what we have left available this is the best I could do.
Aaron
Guest
What ever happened to who doesn't perform gets cut ? No props equals no go forward ? Mans our dropped walker dropped woods dropped need I go on dropped the ball sheens
Matt
Guest
Did you watch Milford in the under 21 SOO? He barely had an impact there, so the likelihood of him providing an impact at a much higher level is near 0.
Muzz
Guest
If your going to opt for a V6 pack, and approach the game with a more mobile mindset with plenty of ball movement, then your spine needs to be firing.Our 6 and 9 have been struggling for months and our 1 almost pulled out of the tournament due to fatigue. If you were ever going to play Klemmer and utilise his size (120kg)and aggression, it would be now, otherwise whats the point of having him in the squad?