Australia coach Graham Arnold has challenged his players to prove they are worthy of Asian Cup selection after naming a 23-man squad for the friendly against Uruguay on June 2.
Arnold is without experienced campaigners Mark Viduka, Vince Grella, Harry Kewell, Tim Cahill and Mark Schwarzer for the Telstra Stadium showdown.
But that will grant the likes of Brad Jones, Adam Federici, Matthew Spiranovic, Daniel Allsopp and Mark Bridge the opportunity to impress ahead of the continental tournament in July.
Spiranovic has been impressive in his first season for German Bundesliga club Nurnberg and has been called up for the first time, while A-League Golden Boot winner Allsopp and Newcastle Jets' Bridge could also win their first caps.
Bridge is the only player from the Under-23 side to be called into the squad, which will be reduced to 20 on the day of the match.
"It's great that we will have some experienced players like Lucas Neill, Brett Emerton, Jason Culina, Archie Thompson, Luke Wilkshire, Michael Beauchamp and Mile Sterjovski to complement some exciting young players who will get to test themselves against some of the best players in the world," said Arnold.
"Our Asian Cup campaign starts here. We have a two-month program that starts now and we hope it will result in success at our first Asian Cup.
"There is a significant amount at stake for the players who will be pushing for selection for the Asian Cup squad as this match against Uruguay will be the final game before the team is finalised."
Australia will also face Singapore on June 30 before the Asian Cup Group A opener against Oman on July 8.
"There are still some spots that are yet to be decided and the performances of the players at training and in the match against Uruguay will have a big influence on their chances," added Arnold.
"This squad is a good balance of experienced players and also some new faces who have not played at international level. A lot of those players are playing in some top leagues and deserve their opportunity to push for an Asian Cup spot.
"The experience these younger players will get will hold us in good stead as we head to the Asian Cup and beyond to the 2010 World Cup qualifiers which start next year."
Australia squad: Jones (Middlesbrough), Federici (Reading); Neill (West Ham United), Beauchamp (Nurnberg), North (Newcastle Jets), Kisnorbo (Leicester City), Spiranovic (Nurnberg), Stefanutto (Lillestrom), Thwaite (Wisla Krakow); Wilkshire (FC Twente), Emerton (Blackburn Rovers), Culina (PSV Eindhoven), Carle (Newcastle Jets), Carney (Sydney FC), Colosimo (Sivasspor), Sterjovski (Basel), Valeri (Grosseto); Allsopp (Melbourne Victory), Bridge (Newcastle Jets), Griffiths (Liaoning), Holman (NEC Nijmegen), McDonald (Motherwell), Thompson (Melbourne Victory).
But that will grant the likes of Brad Jones, Adam Federici, Matthew Spiranovic, Daniel Allsopp and Mark Bridge the opportunity to impress ahead of the continental tournament in July.
Spiranovic has been impressive in his first season for German Bundesliga club Nurnberg and has been called up for the first time, while A-League Golden Boot winner Allsopp and Newcastle Jets' Bridge could also win their first caps.
Bridge is the only player from the Under-23 side to be called into the squad, which will be reduced to 20 on the day of the match.
"It's great that we will have some experienced players like Lucas Neill, Brett Emerton, Jason Culina, Archie Thompson, Luke Wilkshire, Michael Beauchamp and Mile Sterjovski to complement some exciting young players who will get to test themselves against some of the best players in the world," said Arnold.
"Our Asian Cup campaign starts here. We have a two-month program that starts now and we hope it will result in success at our first Asian Cup.
"There is a significant amount at stake for the players who will be pushing for selection for the Asian Cup squad as this match against Uruguay will be the final game before the team is finalised."
Australia will also face Singapore on June 30 before the Asian Cup Group A opener against Oman on July 8.
"There are still some spots that are yet to be decided and the performances of the players at training and in the match against Uruguay will have a big influence on their chances," added Arnold.
"This squad is a good balance of experienced players and also some new faces who have not played at international level. A lot of those players are playing in some top leagues and deserve their opportunity to push for an Asian Cup spot.
"The experience these younger players will get will hold us in good stead as we head to the Asian Cup and beyond to the 2010 World Cup qualifiers which start next year."
Australia squad: Jones (Middlesbrough), Federici (Reading); Neill (West Ham United), Beauchamp (Nurnberg), North (Newcastle Jets), Kisnorbo (Leicester City), Spiranovic (Nurnberg), Stefanutto (Lillestrom), Thwaite (Wisla Krakow); Wilkshire (FC Twente), Emerton (Blackburn Rovers), Culina (PSV Eindhoven), Carle (Newcastle Jets), Carney (Sydney FC), Colosimo (Sivasspor), Sterjovski (Basel), Valeri (Grosseto); Allsopp (Melbourne Victory), Bridge (Newcastle Jets), Griffiths (Liaoning), Holman (NEC Nijmegen), McDonald (Motherwell), Thompson (Melbourne Victory).
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