Robbie Deans is once again offering no guarantees in 2010, with the Wallabies coach on Tuesday admitting even Rocky Elsom's captaincy is under review.

"Nothing is forever," Deans told AAP as the countdown begins to the domestic Test season.

Elsom, who led the Wallabies on the five-Test spring tour of Japan and the UK last November, has been unusually quiet since joining the Brumbies for this year's Super 14.

Former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones is leading a push for Queensland's match-winning skipper Will Genia to take over as Test captain and Deans conceded the little halfback marvel certainly has credentials.

"He's shown he's a natural leader," he said of the 11-Test Genia.

"The good thing is we've got a lot of leadership development and that's what we need because no one man can carry a group.

"A group can carry a man, not the other way around.

"They're all decisions we're going to make over the next month, but I haven't been prone to ducking and diving (in the past).

"We put a lot of time into all of our decisions. None of them will be made lightly."

Including the selection of the Wallabies midfield.

Deans is spoilt for choice, with classy playmakers Matt Giteau, Quade Cooper and Berrick Barnes vying for the five-eighth and inside centre roles.

Cooper has been in scintillating form for Queensland, his deadly halves combination with Genia driving the Reds' unexpected finals charge, and most are tipping he will win the Wallabies' No.10 jumper.

That may prove the case but Deans acknowledged Giteau - who was five-eighth and man of the match in Australia's season-ending Test demolition of Wales in Cardiff - had also excelled while being serviced by Genia.

"There's a lot of things that we'll consider in settling on a group but every player's context is different," Deans said.

"So we'll consider both elements - what the individual brings to the table, but also what he offers the team beyond his own individual talents.

"Obviously some players get the benefit of good teamwork, but what we'll consider is how much did they contribute to that because that's the critical ingredient in what is the ultimate team game."

A 40-man Wallabies squad for the Tests against Fiji, England and Ireland plus two mid-week fixtures against the Barbarians will be named as soon as the last Australian team is eliminated from the Super 14.

Beyond that, Deans said the onus was on every player to perform or face demotion from the Test 22.

"There will be movement and, as we've shown in the past, we'll continue to observe what players do," said Deans, who has only named the same starting XV for back-to-back matches twice during his 28-Test tenure.

"When we get underway, we'll continue to respond to what we see."

New Zealand bookmakers on Tuesday installed the Wallabies second favourites for next year's World Cup behind the hosting All Blacks and Deans said he was happy with Australia's progress.

"We've got a queue of people who are putting their hands up and saying 'give me a go, I want to have a crack' and that's great," he said.

"It's great to have depth. We can work with that."

Deans also had encouraging words for Test veterans Phil Waugh and Al Baxter, whose international careers appeared over when they were omitted from the spring tour.

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