A dozen A-League players are tipped to feature in Australia's 30-man preliminary squad for the World Cup, to be announced this morning by coach Ange Postecoglou.
International newcomers such as James Troisi, Luke Brattan, Osama Malik and Josh Brillante are likely to rise from the domestic league.
Postecoglou will continue down his path of regenerating the Socceroos, having already announced incumbent captain Lucas Neill will be overlooked.
That decision spells trouble for fellow veteran defender Sasa Ognenovski, with Postecoglou saying he'll favour players likely to be available for the next World Cup in 2018.
Postecoglou will take his 30-man squad into a training camp at Gosford in NSW ahead of Australia's friendly against South Africa on May 26.
The day after the farewell match, Postecoglou will cut three players. His final 23-strong squad for the World Cup will be named on June 2 in Brazil.
The preliminary squad will likely on feature only a handful of evergreen performers, headed by strikers Tim Cahill and Josh Kennedy and creative midfielder Mark Bresciano.
The main worry as Postecoglou prepares to name his squad is in defence, with injury concerns over candidates Trent Sainsbury and Curtis Good.
Sainsbury is battling a knee injury suffered last month which jeaopardises his inclusion, while Good is struggling to overcome a hip flexor complaint.
Experience midfielder Mile Jedinak, who will probably take over the captaincy from Neill, will be named in the squad but won't play against the South Africans.
Jedinak will need two to three weeks off to recover from a groin strain.
