He's almost 34 and played just seven games in two years, but Australian coach Mal Meninga is adamant Billy Slater still has a future in international rugby league.
Meninga on Wednesday overlooked Slater when retaining Darius Boyd as fullback for the Kangaroos' Anzac Test against New Zealand on Friday week in Canberra.
But the former world player of the year remains "certainly" in the mix for a recall for this year's World Cup if he continues impressing in his comeback from a second shoulder reconstruction.
Meninga admitted he and fellow selectors "agonised" over vaulting Slater into his first Test since 2015.
"He's getting back to somewhere near his best form from injury extremely well," the coach said.
"It's very pleasing to see him in the game ... but we felt that Darius deserves to retain his spot.
"He was man of the match in the Four Nations final at Liverpool (last November) and he's in great form at the moment so we just chose to go that way."
Selectors largely retained faith in Australia's Four Nations champions, dropping only Canberra front-rower Shannon Boyd and losing Greg Inglis and Matt Scott through injury.
Meninga, though, placed his squad on notice that form would be paramount in his selection of Australia's World Cup squad in October.
"This Test match (squad) was picked based on our loyalty and their success in the Four Nations, the way they've been playing at the beginning of the year as well," he said.
"That doesn't mean to say we'll be true to this at the back end of the year when we get through the season, finals footy and Origin.
"So they will become part of the criteria when we pick the World Cup squad at the end of the year."
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