Australian coach Mal Meninga is facing an uphill battle to retain the World Cup with players withdrawing from Australian selection left, right and centre.
The latest stars to throw a spanner in the works for Meninga this week were Broncos enforcer Payne Haas and Roosters flyer Joseph Suaalii.
Suaalii has defected to Samoa, while Haas won’t play in the tournament for family reasons and to focus on Brisbane’s 2023 season.