A knee injury suffered in Sunday night's NRL grand final loss is unlikely to keep Dally M medallist Todd Carney out of Australia's squad for the Four Nations tournament.

Carney will be the Kangaroos' back-up half after receiving his first call-up to a national squad, pipping Gold Coast captain Scott Prince.

The Sydney Roosters five-eighth will need to prove his fitness at next week's medical but early indications are he has a posterior cruciate ligament problem which would prevent him running for a maximum of two weeks.

"They believe it's an old injury that may have flared up but not necessarily one that would rule him out," Australian coach Tim Sheens said at the squad announcement on Monday.

Captain Darren Lockyer, incumbent halfback Cooper Cronk and Newcastle utility Kurt Gidley are Australia's other halves possibilities in the 24-man squad.

Regular Test No.7 Johnathan Thurston has been ruled out with an ankle injury.

"Given the starting halves will probably be Cooper and Darren, (Carney) comes in as that utility half/five-eighth, covers a number of roles in that respect and has obviously had a very good season," Sheens said.

St George Illawarra forward Dean Young was the big winner from Sunday night's drought-breaking grand final victory, joining Clive Churchill medallist Darius Boyd and clubmate Brett Morris as the Dragons' contingent.

Backrower Ben Creagh's omission caused surprise for St George Illawarra coach Wayne Bennett.

"Obviously they don't rate him," Bennett said.

"It's a funny old show, that, because you've got NSW selectors picking the Australian team, all of a sudden you play for NSW and you're not playing for Australia."

Forward Nate Myles joins Carney as the only two Roosters in the squad.

Australia were forced to look outside the square with a wealth of talent unavailable for the tournament with injury, including centres Greg Inglis, Justin Hodges, Michael Jennings and Jamie Lyon.

Parramatta centre Timana Tahu's tumultuous season seems over after he was overlooked, with Brent Tate, Willie Tonga and Chris Lawrence the specialist centres.

"It wouldn't worry me to play Jarryd Hayne or young Darius (Boyd) in the centres also," Sheens said.

"If we have to manufacture, I will."

Sheens said a number of players were on standby as shadows with Carney, Myles and Tonga the biggest concerns.

He said the depleted Kangaroos, many of whom won't have played for nearly two months, would mean tournament opponents New Zealand, England and Papua New Guinea would be confident.

"I'd say they see a fair chance to get us, yeah, so it's going to be a big test for us," Sheens said.

"We're going to have to go out really hard against PNG with our starting side and work hard to gain some match fitness.

"We need to get as much football into that side as we can because you take the Melbourne connection ... they need football, Darren (Lockyer) needs football.

"We'll be out to win the first game and the second game, buys us a little bit of leeway for the third game."

The Kangaroos play their first match against Papua New Guinea on October 24 at Parramatta Stadium before Tests against England in Melbourne on October 31 and New Zealand in Auckland on November 6.

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