One measure of the strength of coach Michael Maguire's NZ Kiwis squad lies in the players that have missed out.
Maguire had the luxury of naming six players from the NRL Grand Final, as well as three rookies in his 24-man squad for this year's Rugby League World Cup in England - but several star names have also missed the cut.
Veteran playmakers Shaun Johnson, Kodi Nikorima and Te Maire Martin don't feature at all, while forward Braden Hamlin-Uele and Corey Harawira-Naera have also been overlooked.
After naming one of the most exciting New Zealand squads ever assembled, Maguire revealed the difficulty telling players that they aren't part of his plans.
"Part of coaching is being able to give some great news and some tough news," said Maguire. "That's the job.
"It's nice to have those conversations, because it means you've got depth to your selections in who you can pick.
"The good conversations are really good and the conversations where players are disappointed [aren't], but it's nice to see them disappointed, because it means they're passionate about wanting to be there."
One player who made the cut is veteran Kieran Foran.
After personal off-field issues and injury woes on it, the half was a standout in a Manly Sea Eagles side that failed to qualify for the NRL playoffs.
In 24 games, Foran, 32, scored two tries and created 11 more for his teammates, while making 378 tackles on defence.
While unlikely to challenge the likes of Jahrome Hughes and Dylan Brown for starting roles in the halves, Foran will undoubtedly provide Maguire a valuable option in the No.14 jersey, when the Kiwis' campaign begins.
Foran's big-game experience for both club and country, and the character to emerge through his many challenges - including ankle and shoulder injuries - make him a prospect Maguire couldn't overlook.
"Kieran's been playing some really good footy," Maguire added. "I think he's really found his game again.
"It's been well documented, the ride to get to where he is now. The way he's playing, he's playing a really tough style.
"He can get deep into the line again, he's putting a lot of trust into his body, but that comes back to the hard work that he's done. Over the last couple of months, I've seen him find the old Kieran Foran, the one that was happy to go deep into the line, get whacked.
"It's nice to see. His experience being around the camp, talking to the players, is critical.
"It's very handy to have a player that's had the experience to guide us through what's ahead of us."
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