Kiwis league coach Steve Kearney has confirmed troubled utility Setaimata Sa won't be selected for the Four Nations tournament, joining Jeremy Smith as the latest to be ruled out.

Sa, a four-test Kiwi and member of last year's victorious World Cup squad, was named in the train-on squad but Kearney said he would pay the price for his recent court appearance.

The Sydney Roosters player, 22, was charged with assaulting a female police officer, resisting arrest, failing to leave a licensed premises and damaging property following an allegedly alcohol-fuelled incident at a Sydney hotel last month.

He will reappear in court on October 14 and has been stood down by his club.

"It's pretty clear we need to send a message. If it's not acceptable at club level it's certainly not acceptable at international level," Kearney said on Thursday.

"That's why he's been stood down from the Roosters for a period, and that's the way we see it. He won't be selected."

Kearney also confirmed Smith, Kiwis player of the year in 2008, would miss the upcoming tournament in England and France due to ankle surgery.

Smith first suffered the injury in May, which ruled him out of the Anzac Test, and has struggled with it since.

His St George-Illawarra club are keen for him to have immediate surgery, which involves a pin being inserted, so he can be fit for the start of next season.

"He's definitely ruled out. He's very disappointed but he just hasn't got over that injury. He needs to have the surgery done now," Kearney said.

It reduced the number of contenders to 37 in the Kiwis train-on squad, from which 23 will be named by Kearney on Monday.

Already missing are Roy Asotasi (knee), Simon Mannering (knee), Sam Rapira (chest), Jerome Ropati (shoulder), Zeb Taia (shoulder), Taniela Tuiaki (ankle), Manu Vatuvei (knee) and Sika Manu (ankle).

It's an impressive list but Kearney wasn't about to take aim at clubs who insisted on their players having immediate surgery rather than tour.

"At the end of the day, if players need surgery they've got to have surgery. There's not a great deal we can do about that.

"I will always focus on the guys we will have there. There's a number of individuals not available but I'm confident we'll have a young, keen very hungry group of individuals ready to represent their country."

Kearney will be in his regular dual roles during Sunday's NRL grand final, his fourth in a row as assistant coach of Melbourne Storm as he also runs his eye over Kiwis contenders.

There will be two in each team: Storm forwards Adam Blair and Jeff Lima along with Eels duo Krisnan Inu and Fuifui Moimoi, all of whom appear certain selections.

Moimoi was reportedly suffering from a cracked rib but Kearney had his fingers crossed for one of the NRL's biggest impact players.

"You wouldn't think so, the way he's playing. He's got to get through a game yet so we'll deal with that once the game's finished."

The Kiwis assemble in Auckland next week for a 10-day camp before playing Tonga on October 14. Their Four Nations opener is against Australia in London on October 24.

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