Mal Meninga has introduced the most significant overhaul to the Kangaroos squad in recent years, making bold decisions to drop incumbent Australian captain James Tedesco and overlook State of Origin captains Jake Trbojevic and Daly Cherry-Evans. Penrith’s Isaah Yeo has been appointed as the new captain, marking the first time Tedesco has been omitted from the squad since his debut in 2018.

The Jillaroos have also made a surprising selection, leaving out Dally M winner Olivia Kernick from the women’s Test squad. Kernick, who claimed her maiden Dally M Medal last week, was instrumental in her club’s 32-28 grand-final victory over Cronulla on Sunday.

Meninga unveiled a revamped Kangaroos squad on Monday, featuring eight potential debutants including Parramatta halfback Mitchell Moses, Penrith forward Lindsay Smith, and Newcastle centre Bradman Best. The key focus of Meninga’s selections was on the omissions, with long-serving captain Tedesco being left out following Australia’s 30-0 loss to New Zealand last year.

Penrith’s Dylan Edwards will take over the No 1 jersey from Tedesco, with Melbourne hooker Harry Grant named as vice-captain under new skipper Yeo. “It’s a bit of an evolution, especially considering what happened in the Pacific Championships last year,” Meninga explained. “Origin performances and form in the finals were crucial factors in our decisions.”

Meninga hinted that Cherry-Evans and Trbojevic were excluded due to their limited versatility, with an eye on the 2026 World Cup. The coach was also unable to consider Nathan Cleary and Cameron Munster, who are recovering from off-season surgeries.

Newcastle fullback Kalyn Ponga was another notable omission, with Meninga stating, “We considered Kalyn as a specialist fullback, but we felt Dylan was the No 1 fullback in our game, so we chose Dylan over Kalyn.”

Australia will face Tonga in Brisbane on October 18 and then take on New Zealand in Christchurch on October 27.

Jillaroos coach Brad Donald also announced his 21-woman squad for the Pacific Championships, deciding that Kernick’s NRLW season was not strong enough to secure her a spot. Instead, Donald opted for veteran Kezie Apps, who is returning from a season-ending knee injury, and NSW State of Origin teammate Yasmin Clydsdale.

Mahalia Murphy was preferred over Kernick for her versatility, having played in one Test for the Jillaroos in 2015 and as a second-rower for Parramatta this year. Jaime Chapman, the NSW Origin player of the year, was also dropped from the squad.

“Liv is not far off, she was on the bench for NSW this year, and she will be the next one in if something happens,” Donald said. “With Kezie Apps as captain and Mahalia’s versatility, it’s quite challenging.”

Sydney Roosters hooker Keeley Davis, Cronulla star Emma Tonegato, and North Queensland dummy-half Emma Manzelmann were among the other incumbents to miss out. Parramatta’s Abbi Church, Cronulla’s Quincy Dodd, Newcastle’s Olivia Higgins, and Wests Tigers prop Sarah Togatuki are all in line for possible debuts.