Socceroos coach Guus Hiddink admits he has virtually decided on the line-up and approach he will use in the World Cup opener against Japan next month.

And he warned he won't be using Australia's lead-up matches - including Thursday night's friendly against Greece at the MCG - as a revolving door for fringe players to show their wares.

Those on the bench can expect to spend plenty of match days leading up to the World Cup gathering splinters, with Hiddink saying back-up players will need injuries or poor form from incumbents to get a starting role ahead of the crucial June 12 match against Japan.

"I won't change that many players," Hiddink said of Thursday night's match.

"Maybe in the last part of the game, I might use some other players, but it's not coming in and out like a pigeon cage.

"I don't see the team as just 10 players plus goalie. I see them as several more who are equipped to play in the World Cup when there are injuries or lack of form."

That will start on Thursday night, with injury robbing the Socceroos of frontline striking options Harry Kewell and John Aloisi, and midfielder Tim Cahill.

Bolter Josh Kennedy will also miss the match because of injury, with Swiss-based attacker Mile Sterjovski now set for an opportunity to play in a restructured formation from the Uruguay qualifiers.

Hiddink has been toying with a 4-2-3-1 system in training this week, using two holding midfielders - Vince Grella and Josip Skoko - in front of a back-four with former skipper Craig Moore reinstated.

Sterjovski, Jason Culina and Marco Bresciano have been playing attacking midfield roles, supporting lone striker and skipper Mark Viduka.

But Hiddink won't name his side until match day, and closed all but the first 15 minutes of Wednesday's training session at the MCG to tinker further with tactics privately.

While the result and performance will matter plenty for the 95,000 crowd and hundreds of thousands more expected to be watching on television, Hiddink admitted he was not as concerned.

He is more interested in the Socceroos showing they are absorbing his tactical and strategic messages, as well as the first-choice players dusting off the rust from not having played together since the Uruguay qualifiers in November.

"The result (on Thursday), that is not so important," Hiddink said.

"The aim is to be fit physically, mentally and tactically for the first game against Japan.

"It's of value, although it's the first game of three (lead-ups)."

But he expects Greece to want to prove a point against the Socceroos, especially in front of what is tipped to be large and passionate Hellenic support.

"Every big player is here for Greece and when you are not in the World Cup, you want some kind of revenge," Hiddink said.

The Greeks are expected to keep faith with the 4-5-1 lone striker formation used in their against-the-odds victory in Euro 2004, with Angelos Charisteas up front.

Likely teams: Australia (4-2-3-1): Mark Schwarzer, Brett Emerton, Craig Moore, Lucas Neill, Scott Chipperfield, Vince Grella, Josip Skoko, Jason Culina, Marco Bresciano, Mile Sterjovski, Mark Viduka.

Greece (4-5-1): Antonios Nikopolidis, Georgios Seitaridis, Traianos Dellas, Ioannis Goumas, Takis Fyssas, Theo Zagorakis, Kostas Katsouranis, Stelios Giannakopoulos, Angelo Basinas, Georgios Karagounis, Angelo Charisteas.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP