LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
In a surprising move, the Kangaroos have made several changes to their lineup for the Pacific Championships final, while the Kiwis have chosen to stick with the same side that suffered a fadeout in their previous match.
Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has decided to drop Nicho Hynes from the side, despite his impressive performance in his international debut.
Hynes will now serve as the 18th man for the team.
Meninga has opted to bring back three key forwards who were rested in the previous match, including props Payne Haas and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, who had a dominant performance against Samoa in the tournament opener.
Liam Martin, the premiership star from Penrith, will also join the starting side, replacing Reuben Cotter on the bench.
Jake Trbojevic and Thomas Flegler, who started in the front row in the Kangaroos' win over New Zealand, have been relegated to the reserves.
Meninga acknowledged the tough decisions he had to make, stating, "Unfortunately some great players have missed out, but that's the nature of the beast at international level." Despite the changes, Meninga emphasized the squad mentality of the team, highlighting the collective effort of both players and support staff.
With the Pacific Championships final set to take place in Hamilton, all eyes will be on both teams as they battle it out for the title.