Several selections remain up in the air for round two of the Tri-Nations, writes Brad Walter.
Willie Mason is racing the clock to overcome a shoulder injury in time to join Matt Cooper as one of the new faces in the Australian side for Friday's second Tri-Nations Test in Auckland.
With Parramatta second-rower Nathan Hindmarsh called into replace Timana Tahu after the Eels winger was ruled out of the tournament with a grade-two hamstring tear sustained in Saturday night's 38-28 loss to New Zealand, Kangaroos coach Wayne Bennett will call on Cooper as he has no other outside backs in the squad.
Hindmarsh joined the team camp last night but will not be considered for the Ericsson Stadium clash after being out with a knee injury since Parramatta's round 26 win over Brisbane.
Mason, however, appears likely to be among the changes to the side to play the Kiwis if he can prove his fitness and he may be joined by Bulldogs teammate Mark O'Meley to help bolster a forward pack outgunned by the Kiwis at Telstra Stadium.
Australian team doctor Hugh Hazard yesterday said the AC joint injury sustained by Mason while playing for the Kangaroos Invitational XIII in Saturday night's curtain-raiser was responding to treatment, and he was hopeful the 25-year-old second-rower would be available to play at Ericsson Stadium.
"That's what we're aiming at," Hazard said. "He's having physio twice a day and he's improved considerably in the last 24 to 48 hours. We've just got to keep at him and we'll give him a good fitness test tomorrow and hopefully he'll get through it. If he doesn't, he'll certainly be available for the rest of the tour."
O'Meley yesterday was unsure whether he would get a call-up but said the match against New Zealand A had prepared him for a return to the Test arena after six weeks on the sideline since the Bulldogs' season ended when they failed to make the NRL finals.
"It hurt a little bit to play a full game but I probably needed that if I'm going to be in contention, so we'll just have to wait and see what side Wayne names," O'Meley said. "I've just got to keep working hard and hopefully my chance will come, and if it does I've got to take it."
Bulldogs captain Andrew Ryan and Penrith back-rower Trent Waterhouse would be the two players most likely to drop off the interchange bench if Mason and O'Meley were chosen.
After Cooper missed out on his Test debut in Sydney, Bennett called him aside and told him he would be getting a run on Friday night in place of either Dragons teammate Mark Gasnier or Brisbane's Brent Tate, but the loss of Tahu now means all three will play with one of them on the wing.
"It was disappointing to miss out last week but Wayne came up to me before he announced the side and told me what was going on, so that was pretty good of him to do that," Cooper said. "It gave me a lot of confidence and hopefully I can repay him on Friday. Hopefully I'll play in the centres but it's not my decision and it doesn't really matter where I play."
Meanwhile, New Zealand centre Clinton Toopi is in doubt for the Auckland Test after sustaining a knee injury during his three-try performance on Saturday night.
Toopi last night was awaiting the results of an MRI scan but the Kiwis were hopeful that the injury was merely bone bruising.
Hooker Lance Hohaia has already been ruled out after rupturing ligaments in his left ankle, although scans yesterday returned favourable results.
Hohaia is confident of being fit for the Kiwis' second Test against Great Britain at Huddersfield on November 12, and New Zealand coach Brian McClennan indicated he was likely to include the 22-year-old Warriors utility in his squad for the English leg of the series, to be named today.
"We want Lance to tour," McClennan said. "He was doing a great job on Saturday night and, had he not got hurt, I think we would have gone better. He was starting to get out of dummy-half and making them sweat."
McClennan said he would not pressure halfback Stacey Jones into making himself available for the remainder of the tour but the New Zealanders have not given up hope that he will play in England, particularly as he will be in France for pre-season training with new Super League club Les Catalans at the same time as their two Tests against Great Britain.
Bradford quartet Ali Lauitiiti, Lesley Vainikolo, Shontayne Hape and Robbie Paul and St Helens' Vinnie Anderson are expected to join Wakefield forward David Solomona and Hull utility Motu Tony as the English-based players in the squad.
