Australia hosts Samoa in Townsville in the opener of the inaugural Pacific Championships in Townsville.
It marks the heavyweight nations first clash since the Kangaroos won the World Cup final last November, with the game to kick-off at 8:10pm AEDT.
MATCH CENTRE: Australia v Samoa, teams, stats, video
The Kangaroos are without more than half the team that started in their World Cup final, with Nathan Cleary and Latrell Mitchell (injured), Valentine Holmes and Josh Addo-Carr (suspended), Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Angus Crichton (not selected) and Jack Wighton (retired) all out.
Sea Eagles veteran Daly Cherry-Evans starts for Cleary at halfback, while four debutants will replace Mitchell, Holmes, Addo-Carr and Wighton.
Dolphins fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow comes into the centres – where he plays for Queensland – to pair Broncos star Kotoni Staggs.
Brisbane young gun Selwyn Cobbo and Panthers fullback Dylan Edwards make their debuts on the wings.
In the forwards, another Broncos star…
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