The Australian squad for the Rugby League World Cup is just weeks away from being named, and the middle of the park represents one of the more intriguing selection calls head coach Kevin Walters will have to make.
The successful forwards from last year's Ashes tour are all lining up to go again, but there are a stack of options under consideration.
And that question of which ones make the cut for the final squad will be one of Kevin Walters' toughest calls to make.
There are clear front-runners, and players with representative experience, whether that be for the Kangaroos or at Origin level, but the argument for Walters to blood fresh talent will also be strong.
Here is the selection state of play for the Kangaroos at prop ahead of the opener against New Zealand on October 15.
The incumbents: Patrick Carrigan and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
Both Carrigan and Fa'asuamaleaui can play lock alongside prop, but that is not a position the Kangaroos are struggling in.
It means, as they did on last year's Ashes tour, the duo will start in the eight and ten for the Kangaroos all being equal.
Maybe the biggest concern for coach Walters is that neither player will have played for a month given both the Broncos and Titans failed to reach the finals.
The big challenger: Tom Flegler
Flegler has been tremendous for the Dolphins this year after returning from a career-threatening injury that wiped him out of the last two years of action.
In his first year back, he made it back to the Origin set up for Queensland and didn't let anyone down there, and has now gone on to lead a forward pack to within a game of the grand final.
He has played one game for Australia previously, but at 27, he has plenty of time to add to that tally in the years to come.
The other options: Mitch Barnett, Lindsay Collins, Reuben Cotter, Toby Couchman, Jackson Ford, Keaon Koloamatangi, Lindsay Smith
The Kangaroos come into the tournament with a stack of options at prop, as discussed at the top of this piece, and some don't have any representative runs on the board.
While it's a fair guess Lindsay Collins will feature somewhere in the squad and is likely to be used off the bench, and Reuben Cotter could yet be used in the second-row if not off the bench, there are five other players in calculations.
Mitch Barnett has representative experience at Origin level and has been tremendous for the Warriors since returning from injury for the Warriors.
He couldn't inspire them beyond the semi-finals, but has led the way through the middle.
Teammate Jackson Ford is also an option, as he was at Origin time before getting injured. It's the injury that cost him the second half of the year, and another sustained during the finals, which casts doubt around his suitability to be selected.
Lindsay Smith has previous touring experience with Australia, and could be in the mix, while Keaon Koloamatangi has also indicated he may look at off-season surgery rather than international rugby league.
Toby Couchman is the left-field option here. Kevin Walters, and for that matter previous Australian coaches, have gone with a left-field option or two.
Couchman might have played for the wooden spooners this year, but the up and coming forward is a future representative star and could get some experience as part of the squad here.
The verdict: Patrick Carrigan, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui
It seems almost undoubtable that the Kangaroos will go with their incumbents from last year's Ashes series to start in the first instance.
Fa'asuamaleaui still needs to commit to the Kangaroos ahead of Samoa, but that seems very likely according to all reports.
The Ashes squad had five engine room forwards included, as well as Cotter.
He will be there again, and it could mean another three are needed. Lindsay Collins is almost a certainty, and we'd anticipate Tom Flegler to be there.
That means the final spot comes down to a Lindsay Smith and Toby Couchman shootout. Given Couchman has never been part of this level before, we will take him as part of our wider squad.
