The Wallabies will blood a rookie at hooker in Saturday's first Test against Ireland but the visitors have seen enough Super Rugby to know it won't translate into a one-sided contest at scrum time.
Jordan Uelese was the only capped No.2 in Michael Cheika's squad to play in Brisbane until his scratching after a knee injury further deepened the Wallabies' hooking crisis.
However Ireland's scrum coach Greg Feek says Australia's Super Rugby packs, no matter how inexperienced, have shown this season they hold their own against the best.
"If you combine what you've got in the Super Rugby franchises into the Wallabies you get a solid platform," the New Zealand-born Feek said.
"They're game-ready, that's the other thing, and combinations is probably the last thing.
"I don't think they'll come in and reinvent the wheel. They'll do what works well for them and all aspects will be tough."
Reds hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa and good mate Folau Faingaa - both former Sydney garbage men - are the other two rakes in Australia's squad while Waratahs hooker Tolu Latu remained in Brisbane after Uelese's injury.
Whoever gets the nod will have big shoes to fill, with Stephen Moore retired from international rugby and Tatafu Polota-Nau taking some time off after a bruising season in the United Kingdom.
Meanwhile Ireland, who freshened up after the long flight with a Gold Coast jet ski session on Monday, have their own decision to make after captain and hooker Rory Best was ruled out with a hamstring injury.
Munster's Niall Scannell has joined Sean Cronin and Rob Herring in the squad.
Cronin is tipped to start in Brisbane, however Feek said the team was still in decision-making mode as to who would wear the No.2 and assume the captaincy.
Ireland arrive for the three-Test series as the world's second-ranked team, boasting an undefeated Six Nations campaign and wins against South African and New Zealand.
"You've got to get the balance right, get our own stuff right and get that 'fit like a glove' feel going again for some of the boys," Feek said.
"But you keep an eye on what's coming because it's a dangerous team that's performed well over the last few years."
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