Andy Farrell looks certain to skipper Great Britain from the front row after coach Brian Noble named a 19-man squad high on mobility and skill but light on back-up forward power.

Bulls winger Stuart Reardon and Wigan utility Stephen Wild look favourites to miss the cut when Noble names his final 17, with St Helens full back Paul Wellens likely to get the nod on the opposite wing to Carney.

The inclusion of debutant Sean Loughlin and Wakefield skipper Gareth Ellis suggests vice captain Paul Sculthorpe will start at stand off, with Danny McGuire, Chev Walker and either O'Loughlin or Ellis likely to make up three-quarters of the interchange bench. That would leave room for just the one genuine back-up power forward - uncapped Rhinos prop Ryan Bailey.

Noble's initial selection suggests he will place his faith in a powerful starting pack, which should see Bulls prop Stuart Fielden partnering Farrell in the front row and Jamie Peacock and Adrian Morley paired in the second row.

Terry Newton is a certainty at hooker, with either Wakefield skipper Ellis or O'Loughlin likely to get the start at the back of the scrum.

If, as expected, Noble introduces McGuire into the fray after protecting him from the initial Kangaroo onslaught, Sculthorpe will likely revert to loose forward, with Ellis and O'Loughlin putting in shifts in the second row.

Wherever he plays, Sculthorpe insists Great Britain have learned the lessons of last year's Ashes whitewash, when they blew winning positions in each match and ultimately paid a high price for their inability to finish the Kangaroos off.

"We were close last year but at the end of the day we lost 3-0 and that's all that counts," said Sculthorpe.

"They beat us last year because we didn't play for the 80 minutes, but now we're ready to play for the full 80."

If Britain are to get their campaign off to a winning start, they will need to get their combinations working from the kick-off and that could be a big ask.

While Australia will be battle-hardened by back-to-back matches with New Zealand, Noble's new-look team have had no time to gel. It is five weeks since Sculthorpe last played a match,

His St Helens colleague Sean Long has had two run-outs in the last four months and former team-mate Martin Gleeson has not played at all since June.

But Sculthorpe is looking forward to linking up with Long in the national team and believes the scrum half can provide the missing link.

Australia coach Wayne Bennett has resisted the temptation to indulge in mind games, naming his side 36 hours before the match.

Brett Kimmorley comes in at scrum half in place of the injured Darren Lockyer, with Craig Gower shifting out to stand off. Kimmorley will also take over the kicking duties after loose forward Craig Fitzgibbon was ruled out with a shoulder injury.

Despite possessing an unblemished record as Kangaroo coach, Bennett isn't about to fall into the trap of under-rating the Lions.

In Fielden, Keith Senior, Long and Sculthorpe, Bennett feels Britain have the players to match those of the world champions and, in Sydney Roosters' forward Morley, they have the man to quell any fears of invincibility. "They've got as much talent as we've got," he said. "Morley will give them a lot of confidence."