Dual international Sonny Bill Williams has not been named in the Kiwi's squad for this month's Rugby League World Cup in Britain.
After winning his second NRL Premiership on Sunday, Williams said he'd take a couple of weeks to decide on his future, which now appears to be a return to rugby union.
Also missing are the veteran backrower Jeremy Smith, who is unavailable for personal reasons and centre Shaun Kenny-Dowall, who broke his jaw in the NRL grand final.
However there are five players from that match who are named - Roosters props Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Sam Moa, along with team-mates Frank-Paul Nu'uausala and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Kieran Foran from Manly.
Moa and Tuivasa-Sheck are the only uncapped players in the Kiwis squad.
The Kiwis will be captained by Simon Mannering, who is one of seven Warriors representatives in the squad.
There are seven players from the 2008 World Cup-winning squad. They are Mannering, Manu Vatuvei, Thomas Leuluai, Issac Luke, Jason Nightingale, Krisnan Inu and Greg Eastwood.
The Kiwis start the defence of their title against Samoa in Warrington on October 27th.